Naruto: Untold
by nstar93
Summary: It was a simple mission, kill Gato and anyone who stopped them. But the moment Miyuki Obanji's team set foot on that bridge in the Land of Waves and met Team 7, her life began to change. Now tasked to protect Sasuke Uchiha and stop Orochimaru once and for all, Miyuki has to find out where her loyalty lies while also trying to save Sasuke from making the same mistake she made.
1. Chapter 1: Journey to the Land of Waves

**Chapter 1:**

Above the thick mist, a cloud of red rises higher, this one in the shape of a body, a creature, a monster with sharp talons and long teeth. Just looking at it fills me with fear and by the time it's power reaches us, I'm shaking.

I don't need to feel the power to know we're in over our heads. But the power slams into all of us, making our bodies go rigid to the point where it's noticeable. Even Kyoske with his smart mouth has it clamped shut, his eyes wide as he watches the crimson cloud. Hideki is speechless, sweat forming on his brow. As for Megumi-sensei, she stands beside us, brow furrowed with irritation.

Slowly, Kyoske sucked in a breath and turns to look back at us.

"You guys felt that, right?" He asked.

But there was no need for confirmation. Seeing it was one thing but feeling it was completely different. If the cloud didn't strike fear into your soul, the power drifting away from it would see you digging a grave.

"Was that Zabuza?" Kyoske asked. "That wasn't in the file."

"There's no way that's Zabuza." Hideki said, lifting the bridge of his glasses with his forefinger.

"They do call him the Demon of the Mist don't they?" Kyoske asked. "That certainly looked like a demon to me."

He had a point and I felt my stomach tighten at the possibility. Though it didn't match up. If he had been the owner of the mysterious and now slowly disappearing red cloud, that would have most definitely been in his file.

"It doesn't matter." Megumi-sensei said, standing straighter.

We all looked up at her, our lips pressed into tight lines. I knew what we were all thinking, wondering of the cloud had made our sensei lose some of her sanity. But, I looked back at the mist here occasionally a flash of silver would let me know a weapon was flying through the air. Of course, sensei had a point too.

This mission wasn't about the fog demon. It was about our own village and Gato thinking he could do whatever he wanted with it. Before, all we could do was stand back and watch him but now we were being given the opportunity to deal with him personally. If taking out Zabuza or whatever demon lurked in that fog was what was standing in our way, I knew we would all push through, giving it our best.

"We came here to give Gato a message." Megumi-sensei said, her jaw clenched. "If ripping Zabuza and whatever is in there to shreds is part of it, we will do whatever we need to."

"Hold nothing back." Hideki said, his voice like ice.

Kyoske nodded, wiping his cheek with his sleeve. "Yeah, sure."

"What if it's the Leaf ninja?" I asked, meaning it to be said mentally but instead flushing when it came out.

I could tell by the looks on my teammates faces that it had never been considered. After all, there hadn't been a file on them. All we knew was that they were with Tazuna, in our place after we were rejected to take on the mission. The Leaf ninja were cheaper and not as pricey as our services and Tazuna had asked for us specifically.

"Couldn't be." Kyoske said, scratching his head. "I mean they're Leaf brats."

"They have a few strong ninja." Hideki said. "The Hyuga and Uchiha clans are noble."

"Uchiha's were wiped out." Kyoske said. "Hyuga clan is more focused on their weird practices. They don't house a demon behind their walls."

"Enough." Megumi-sensei said before nodding to the mist. "We keep it simple, go in and get out. Take out Zabuza and pull back to wait for Gato."

We all nodded but another question lit up in my head.

"Hey, wait what if Gato isn't around?" I asked, earning a look from Kyoske.

But sensei didn't lose the determination in her face. Looking straight ahead, her face barely flinched. She merely folded her arms.

"He's here." She said. "Lurking around. We time this just right, he'll get there right when we're finishing up with Zabuza."

"What if the Leaf interferes?" Hideki asked, raising a kunai.

"We take them out too." Kyoske said. "This is greater than them."

"I doubt they'd fight us taking out Zabuza." I said.

"Which is why we have our disguises." Megumi said, lifting up her ANBU mask and putting it over her face.

We all nodded and I looked down at my mask, studying its intricate design and our Village's symbol right at the forehead. I was surprised such a disguise had been given to us. Considering how the village felt about my team overall, over my entire village just off the coast of the Land of Water, I was surprised they had chosen us in the first place.

But, deep down I knew why. The Village Hidden by Mist didn't like to get it's hands dirty or caught up in national drug handlings. They were trying to become "noble" and come off as disinterested in political affairs. But the Daimyō, our village's feudal lord, was good at masking his maliciousness. Half of his land was left to fend for themselves, left to starve and suffer. But he was all about money, under the table money, and ensuring that anyone who defied him, anyone who stood up to him, was erased. Our village, barely on any maps, had been empty until a few hundred years ago, in fact that stretch of land had been part of the biggest island. But we had been banished, our people thrown further into the surrounding thick mists, a powerful Genjutsu placed over it, to shield it from being found. A jutsu so powerful, it was hardly noticed by passing ninja.

We were outsiders in our own land and the Daimyō only turned to us to handle extra secret and messy missions. The sad part was that we had no choice. We couldn't fight back because our village priestess, the highest authority in our neck of the woods, was against it. She wanted to teach the Daimyō a lesson, to which Kyoske would always say was a fool's dream. The old man wouldn't learn a thing until it was being shoved in his face.

Either way, until his lesson was learned we were the team he turned to when he wanted to get something messy done, something that involved a lot of blood loss. Destroying Gato and having it all be traced back to him would prove he cared about political affairs but having us sent in, who were a hair above rogue ninjas, was somehow better.

I put on my mask, pushing all my thoughts behind me. What was the point of thinking anyway? Go in and get out. Get Gato and go home. Not too difficult to process or pull off and besides I wasn't afraid of Zabuza. On our island, we were the strongest set of Genin, the only set in the Land of Water who had a several level A-ranked missions under their belts. If anyone could handle this mission, it was us and we had no reason to fear, menacing demon cloud and all.

"Let's get this over with." Kyoske grumbled. "I've got better things to do."

That was all it took before we darted off the bridge. We ran quickly, our feet moving so fast they barely made ripples in the water. When we reached the bridge we didn't hesitate and launched ourselves onto the sides. We climbed stealthily only stopping near the railing, but Megumi-sensei hoisted herself up to survey the scene.

"How are we looking?" Kyoske asked.

"Shh!" I whispered, grabbing a fistful of his shirt and giving him a sharp jerk. "The last thing we want is to get caught."

He shot me a dirty look. "Miyuki, what does it matter? If we get caught, we destroy them. Done."

"Unnecessary bloodshed was not in the mission." Hideki snapped.

"Enough." Megumi-sensei growled sharply and we all swallowed our arguments.

"There are two bodies on the ground. One Leaf shinobi and the other an unknown ninja. I've never seen him before but he's wearing a Mist headband." Megumi-sensei said. "I think he's dead."

Hideki pulled himself up. "Yeah definitely dead." He breathed after a few moments. "There's a massive hole in his chest."

"Who's the Leaf ninja?" I whispered.

"Zabuza seems distraught." Megumi-sensei said. "Now's our chance."

She looked down at me and nodded and I swallowed before pushing myself up. It was either now or never.

Zabuza was in the middle of speaking, gesturing to the body on the ground. I could see Tazuna behind a pink haired girl who was holding the body of the fallen Leaf shinobi in her arms. Tears streamed down her face, her eyes a glittering emerald. A few feet away from her stood a blonde ninja with tanned skin and what looked like whiskers painted onto his face. He was focused on Zabuza and another Leaf ninja, the one Zabuza was speaking too.

It was a perfect time to intervene because everyone was distracted or distraught. Talk about getting in and out. I reached into my weapons pouch and pulled out a kunai. Without another though I started running toward Zabuza, weapon raised high. He almost didn't see me coming. Almost.

I was close, less than two feet away when his attention shifted from the shocked white haired ninja and turned on me. When I was a foot away, he swung to face me, meeting me with his sword and in the blink of an eye our weapons met with a sharp _CLANG_.

"What's this?" Zabuza growled.

"Who-who's she?" The blonde boy shouted.

"Probably another one of his sidekicks." The white haired ninja growled before running toward me.

I was confused but didn't hesitate. I pushed off of Zabuza's sword, preparing myself to meet the white haired ninja when suddenly Megumi-sensei appeared to block him. She shoved me harshly toward Zabuza, signaling he was my opponent and not this white haired ninja.

"There's more of them?" Tazuna gasped.

I delivered hit after hit against Zabuza but each time he met my blows with his sword. He chuckled darkly, his eyes crazed.

"You here to kill me, little shinobi?" He growled before shoving me back and delivering a sickening kick to my stomach.

I gasped, dropping to my knees. It had been unexpected and I scolded myself for not seeing it coming.

"Hit me with your best shot Mist ninja! I have nothing more to live for!" Zabuza growled, raising his sword.

My hands were moving as he raised his sword and just as he was about to swing, I inhaled.

"Water Style! Raging Waves!" Out from my mouth gushed a powerful stream of water-fall like water. It rammed into Zabuza who's eyes went wide the minute the water left.

He went flying back, past the water ninja body with the hole in his chest.

"You alright?" Kyoske called.

"Sensei!" Hideki called.

I glanced back and saw Megumi-sensei and the white haired ninja going at it, delivering kick after kick and punch after punch. They matched each other and I could tell the white haired ninja was growing frustrated.

"MIYUKI!" Kyoske screeched and I nearly jumped out of my skin, but swung around only to see Zabuza running toward me, his eyes ablaze.

I braced myself, dodging his attack but also receiving a blow to the face in the process. I went flying back and heard my mask crack in the process.

"You alright?" Hideki called.

I was lying face down on the ground, the left side of my face ablaze but I kept strong by gritting my teeth. I could already picture Megumi-sensei's face and dreaded looking up at her for that exact reason. How could I forget the number one rule of fighting? Never take your eyes off the opponent. _Never_.

I swallowed, my hands balling into tight fists.

"Get up"! Kyoske shouted. "Or do you need us to jump in?"

I didn't want any help. I could handle Zabuza on my own and now…now it was personal.

I pushed myself to my feet, not giving the boys a satisfaction of a response but from the corner of my eye I spotted Hideki raising a hand.

"Wha—" Tazuna sounded bewildered when he saw the side of my face. "She's just a girl."

"I don't need anyone's help to take down this monster." I growled and reached up to brush my bangs further to the right, away from both of my eyes.

"Wh-who is she?" The blonde boy asked.

"She's just a kid…she's just like us." The pink haired girl said.

"Monster?" Zabuza growled, not seeming the least bit insulted. "I'll have you know I'm a lot more than that kid."

I sucked in a breath. "Water Style! Raging Waves!"

Another stream of water burst out, but this time Zabuza dodged it with ease but I followed after him.

"You're running out of tricks, girl!" Zabuza roared, lifting his sword to block my attack.

I jumped into the air, pulling shuriken from my pouch and firing them one after the other. He blocked them of course, but that wasn't my plan. I was jumping down toward him and delivered a hard kick to the face of his sword. He hadn't expected me to land on his sword and he most certainly hadn't expected the next jutsu either.

I inhaled and placed a hand on my chest. I could feel the chakra building in my lungs and didn't hesitate as I lifted my other hand, cupping it around my mouth. Zabuza growled but it was too late. I had him right where I wanted him.

"Wind Element!" I breathed. "Spiraling—"

Something sharp zipped right past my line of view and I gasped, giving Zabuza the opening he needed to push me off his sword and to the ground.

"What the—" Kyoske growled.

"Gato." Megumi-sensei breathed.

I looked up and found her standing in a defensive position a few feet away from the white-haired ninja but both of them seemed to have not been fighting for a while. She was looking back to where the bridge began and I followed her gaze.

As promised there stood Gato but he wasn't alone. At least two hundred thugs carrying various weapons stood behind him and he stood right at the front, right at the center, with the biggest grin on his lips. Cocky, confident that his band of idiots could take us out.

"I no longer have need for you, Zabuza." Gato called out. "So I've bought along a few friends to help deal with you."

"He's throwing him under just like that?" Kyoske asked.

"It doesn't surprise me." Hideki said. "He's a slime ball after all."

"I was just thinking the same thing about you, Gato." Zabuza growled, turning to glare at Gato.

"What do we do?" I asked, turning to Megumi-sensei.

"Stay on track with the mission." Megumi-sensei said, pulling a kunai from her pouch and launching it toward Gato. He screamed and jumped back, barely missing the kunai as it landed at his feet.

He paled and jumped back. With the look on his face you'd think Megumi-sensei had tried to swipe at him. He glared at her, pointing a finger. "Who do you think you are you…you…witch! Kill them! Kill them all and bring me her head!"

"Try me." Megumi-sensei said, pulling into an offensive pose.

Hideki and Kyoske jumped to her side, ready to aid when Zabuza coughed.

We all glanced at him.

"I can handle this." He growled. "Gato…Gato is mine."

"Not in your condition." Megumi-sensei said.

"You think this army of fools can take me on? I am the Demon of the Village Hidden by Mist! If they couldn't take me down, neither can these fools!"

It was a bold comment but true nonetheless. I looked at Megumi-sensei but found she didn't look as impressed, or at least I could assume since her mask was still on.

"I've heard about you ninja, the three children from a village forgotten in the mist." Zabuza said, his eyes cutting into us. "I know what you came here to do."

"Then if you know, you'll let us handle it." Megumi-sensei called.

"For once, I'm sparing your child's hands from getting any dirtier." Zabuza growled, looking down at me.

I felt myself flush, but struggled to keep a stern front.

"Zabuza—" The white haired ninja began but was cut off.

"Kakashi," Zabuza said and looked back at him. "Bring my body back to Haku when this is all over."

After that, Zabuza was charging, full on right toward Gato's small army. Half of them looked about scared out of their minds but others, mostly in the front held strong, raising their weapons over their heads. Zabuza was fast, his long arms raising as he punched and kicked at the army. He also received a few hits in the process and in a matter of minutes had sustained so much arm damage, his arms lay limp at his sides. But he kept moving.

He was merciless, his teeth sharpened into knives and he used even those in battle. Sinking them into necks and pulling on the flesh. A few of Gato's army began to run and even Gato after realizing how bleak everything was looking, turned to run as well. But it was too late.

Zabuza rammed into him with such a force, the small man's feet gave out from beneath me and a few breaths later, Gato was flying off the side of the bridge down into the watery depths below. Zabuza glared at the remaining henchmen who collectively shivered before turning on their heels back to where they came.

As he dropped to his knees, Kakashi, the white haired ninja, was at his side, lifting the big man with ease and dragging his weak body back toward the other ninja who was lying flat on his back dead.

"Mission accomplished." Kyoske said, crossing his arms. "And we didn't have to lift much of a finger."

I watched as Zabuza's breath came out in smaller huffs and knew just by looking at him that not only had he reached his limit, he was close to death, better yet, he was ready to die.

But it didn't seem right. It didn't feel like our mission was over and I felt that was exactly what Megumi-sensei felt too because she had yet to motion for us to leave. Instead, she continued to watch Zabuza die as we all did, our eyes locked on the subtle rising and falling of his chest until…until…

We all watched as he died a few minutes later, his breathing stilling, his body going stiff. Kakashi reached over to close his eyes and rose to his feet, all of us in a hushed silence. Finally, eyes landed on us.

"Who are you?" Kakashi asked.

This made Megumi-sensei laugh and it was so sudden and unexpected that it caused Kyoske, Hideki and I to look up at her, confused.

"You don't remember?" She said between chuckles before her laughter cut short and an icy tone took over her voice. "It's funny White Fang because I remember you."

My brow furrowed. White Fang? I had heard the name before, in a history class and then suddenly it hit me. The White Fang of course. He had been an ANBU back then who had saved Priestess Akane from enemy shinobi. The White Fang was one of the only outside shinobi to ever see our village and he had helped save us all.

"There is no way." Kyoske breathed, earning an elbow to the ribs from Hideki.

"He's the White Fang?" I asked, turning to face this white haired ninja. I was sure the White Fang had been known for even more but I couldn't remember, I just knew he was great, a formidable opponent if anything.

Either way, White Fang gave no response, he just continued to glare at her.

If her laughter wasn't enough to shock us, Megumi-sensei she lifted a hand to her mask, her fingers gripping the edge and in one swift motion she pulled it off, revealing herself to the small crowd. The young Leaf Genin and Tazuna had no reaction, whereas White Fang looked like he had just seen a ghost.

"I-I thought you were d-dead." He said, the words leaving his mouth shakily.

Silence filled the air. Everyone but Kakashi and Sensei seemed to be holding their breath but I felt blindsided as did my teammates. We were uneasy, staring between the two of them. I didn't know what to look at or what to feel but I felt a faint sense of betrayal burning inside of me.

In a matter of seconds our mission had become much more than it was supposed to be. We had been sent in to kill Gato and anyone who got in our way. Revealing ourselves had never been in the agenda and no one had mentioned the White Fang being present. More than that no one had mentioned that our sensei and the White Fang had any sort of history either. His question burned in my head and amid everything I couldn't help but wonder how.

How had he thought she was dead?


	2. Chapter 2: New Mission, Expose the Snake

**Chapter 2:**

"Is no one going to ask?"

Kyoske's voice cut through the air, rousing all of us from our thoughts and slowly we found our way back to reality. We were sitting in a ramyun shop near edge of the Land of Water, a shop that was slightly less rundown when compared to the part we had just been near. We had arrived with a mouthful of questions, firing one off after the other and while Megumi-sensei didn't bother to answer any of them, we interacted with each other. Question after question was either met with another question or hard evidence from the textbooks we had been forced to study back in the Academy.

"Alright, fine." Kyoske said, looking agitated as he glared at our sensei from across the table. "I'll be the odd one out and ask."

He slammed a fist on the table, making it wobble and we all looked at him, even sensei.

"How the _hell_ do you know the White Fang?"

Megumi-sensei smirked and closed her eyes. "After everything that's what you ask?"

"Miyuki blew her cover because she got hit in the face. Her mask cracked right down the middle but you…you blew your cover on purpose and for what?" Kyoske continued.

I touched the side of my face and felt a distant burning. It hadn't been a direct hit which was good, but I could feel it starting to swell slightly.

"I'm sure we've got a lot more to ask to but you can start with those!" Kyoske growled.

"No I've got a better one." Hideki cut in and Megumi-sensei cut him a side-long look.

"What was this mission really about? Was it even about taking out Gato?"

"If you're implying I took this mission on because I knew the White Fang would be there, you're wrong." Megumi-sensei said with a hard glare.

"Alright, so why did you blow your cover?" Kyoske snapped.

Megumi-sensei sighed, running a hand through her black as night hair and I realized it had a slightly purple tint to it as it shined under the shop's lights. It was then that the White Fang's expression came back to me, the shock in his eye, well eyes as he took in my sensei. The shaky edge to his voice, his body half ready to run to us and the other ready to…ready what?

I looked at my sensei, at her long black hair, at the soft oval shape of her face, the smallness of her mouth and her eyes, seas of eternal blackness that seemed to sparkle thanks to the gray eye shadow she wore. She was beautiful and I knew she was a skilled kunoichi and a relatively new Jonin. She had risen to the ranks quickly, training day and night and was a far cry from the woman she had been just a little over eleven years ago.

Sensei never spoke about her past. Matter of fact she never spoke about life before we came into the picture period and while I had always assumed it was because it was too sad and dark to look back on, I now wondered if maybe it went even deeper than that. I had heard rumors of what she had been like and had faint memories of her myself, Priestess Akane's spoiled daughter who walked around as if she owned the place and everyone owed her a piece of the world. She had been vial and impossible, using her beauty to get what she wanted. But she was the daughter of our village's head power and as a result she was always made a target.

"I wanted to see his face when he saw mine." Sensei said.

"Because you know him?" Kyoske pressed.

Sensei glared at him with a look that said he was prying too much. Usually I would come to her rescue but I knew better than anyone that this had just reached whole new levels. Holding back information from us wasn't like her.

"He's from my past." Megumi-sensei sighed. She folded her arms as she stared into each of our faces, seeming to brace herself for something until she decided not to say anything at all. She leaned back in her seat and smiled as our server came to our table with our orders.

"You blew your cover because he's from your past? Because you saw him and you just wanted to see his expression?" Kyoske asked.

"Quite a recap." Megumi-sensei said dryly.

"Why was the White Fang there to begin with? Has the Leaf run out of powerful shinobi so they have to send him?" Hideki asked.

"Sounds like a question for the Leaf, not me." Megumi-sensei said as she lifted her cup of ramyun.

"You send people on missions based on their skill level. White Fang was an ANBU when Zabuza became rogue. I wouldn't be surprised if they crossed paths once or twice. That means the White Fang knows his moves." I explained.

"Yeah well it still doesn't make this whole situation any less frustrating." Kyoske growled, glaring down at his ramyun. "You're keeping things from us, sensei."

Megumi-sensei slammed her bowl down on the table and I watched as some of it sloshed down the sides. She fixed her hardest glare on Kyoske as he seemed to forget how to swallow.

"I don't owe you three anything, you hear me? I blew my cover? Big deal. You don't see me bringing things up about you three on our missions. So quit trying to grasp at facts you would never be able to understand and eat your damn food."

She lifted her bowl again, ignoring how the sides must have been because of the sloshing and began to sip at the edge. She sipped it like a pro, not even caring that her bowl was still steaming. I could imagine the hot liquid travelling down her throat and there was our tough as nails sensei so angry with us that she couldn't even feel the pain.

I looked at Kyoske who was too busy glaring down at his ramyun bowl to meet my stare and then over at Hideki who was adjusting his black sunglasses as a bead of sweat travelled down the side of his face. I looked down at my own bowl and blew at the rising steam. The silence weighed heavy at the table as little by little everyone began to eat.

I thought back to our departure from the bridge, all the stunned silence as the White Fang's words hung heavy in the air. Everyone had been blown away and as soon as Sensei had shot White Fang another smile she had vanished, fleeing almost instantly and before the rest of us could force out a reaction, we followed suit. It wasn't ideal, our departure, but it had happened nonetheless.

I looked up just as a messenger bird landed on the window ledge beside us. It's head twitched in each of our directions before it stared straight ahead, a note fastened to it's tiny leg. Hideki reached over and unfastened the message from the bird and the moment it was off, the bird took off just as quickly.

Hideki unfolded the message on the table and we all leaned over to get a look at it. The hand that had written it had been quick, urgent even.

"New mission. Report to the Village immediately. Code Yellow." Hideki read, his brow furrowing. He looked up at Kyoske and I who shrugged in response until we all turned to look at Megumi-sensei who put her bowl down and looked like she was going to be sick.

"Sensei?" I asked, extending a hand to cover one of hers.

"What the heck is Code Yellow?" Hideki asked.

"We have to go." Megumi-sensei said, rising from the table quickly, her hand sliding out from under mine as she motioned for our server. "Can we have the check?"

"Sensei, what's wrong?" Hideki asked.

"Is it that bad?" Kyoske asked. "Yellow isn't bad."

The server came with the check in hand and Megumi-sensei threw down a few bills which made Kyoske's eyes widen.

"Sensei! Are you insane?! The food wasn't even that good!" He gasped.

"Do you want us to count the right amount?" I asked, reaching for the money.

"Leave it!" Megumi snapped and I pulled my hand back to my chest as if she had struck me with something.

"Hurry up, let's go." Megumi said, heading for the front door.

"Wait up!" I said as I slid out of the booth while Kyoske practically climbed over the table. he ran after Megumi-sensei with Hideki and I was the last one out after giving our server a little bow, thanking her for our barely touched food.

"Sensei, wait!" I panted as I exited the small shop and found my team standing just outside, Kyoske blocking Megumi-sensei's path, his arms outstretched.

"What's Code Yellow?" He demanded. "I refuse to leave until you tell us."

"It's obviously urgent enough that you're willing to throw down any amount for a measly meal." Hideki said.

Megumi-sensei rubbed her fingers along the bridge of her nose and sighed.

"Just tell us. We can handle it." I said, my hands balling into tight fists at my sides.

She looked at me and looked down at the crumpled note in her hands. She looked back at us and I saw her shoulders sag.

"Code Yellow is the highest level or urgency in our village. We haven't had a Code Yellow since the time the White Fang came to our village." Megumi-sensei explained.

"The last time he came to the Village you were kidnapped weren't you?" Kyoske asked. "But it was bad, the worse of them all. They were going to kill you, and not just all talk either."

"They were torturing you and using all their resources even after White Fang saved you to capture you both. It was like cat and mouse and finally White Fang won." Hideki added.

"But not without losing his entire team and our entire village almost burning to the ground in the process." I finished with a shaky breath. "Is our village in danger?"

"Potentially." Megumi-sensei. "But what's important here isn't the situation surrounding Code Yellow but more so what it means for us."

"What?" Kyoske asked.

"Code Yellow is coming from our village. It's a mission coming from _our_ village." Megumi-sensei said.

"Okay…" Kyoske said, still not getting it.

"No missions come from our village." Hideki breathed. "Our village doesn't have the ranking to dish out missions on their own."

"Which means it's top secret." I said, my eyes widening. "It's a top secret mission coming from our village."

"Which is why we need to get home." Megumi-sensei said, giving us her back. "Now."

…

The minute we touched down on our village, we were ushered to Priestess Akane's home at the center of our village, where her chakra radiated from every wall and grew stronger the closer we got to her.

When we reached her office, her nurses, dressed head to toe in white garbs, their hair's pulled back into tight chignons, they opened the door for us and we walked in. We were first greeted by the strong and thick smell of Priestess Akane's incense and then we saw her sitting at her desk with a nurse beside her, the nurse's hand pressed against the small of Akane's back.

Our priestess with her ankle length black as coal hair, tied at the end by a lavender hair tie. She wasn't wearing her usual sleeping robes but instead had managed to pull on an actual turtleneck shirt with her robes underneath. while her purple and green robes were falling off of her, exposing her bare shoulders, the burgundy tie held it all in place. Akane was running her fingers over her chanting beads, a collection she always had fastened in the sleeves of her robes. Her black fingernails worked over each bead as she let out quick, small chants when we entered.

"Milady." Megumi-sensei said, getting down to bow to our Priestess. We followed suit, getting on our knees shortly after. Akane stopped chanting and tucked her beads back in her sleeves. She turned to face us, her hard-lined face black lips and dark green eyes took us in.

"How was the mission?" She asked dryly.

"It went well." Megumi-sensei answered.

"I can see that. You four look like you didn't struggle at all." Akane said.

"You could say other shinobi struggled for us." Kyoske smirked.

"How kind of them." Akane said, sounding bored but I knew it was just that she was exhausted. She hid it well. Her chakra coated our entire village and as draining as it was, after everything our village had gone through over the years, her Genjutsu was needed to keep us safe.

"About this mission-" Megumi-sensei began but Akane lifted a hand, cutting her off.

"Gato's dead?" She asked.

"Zabuza took him out on the bridge." Hideki answered. "Pushed him right off the edge."

"Good." Akane said. "The Daimyō will be happy to hear that."

"Glad we could make him happy." Kyoske yawned.

"In exchange for completing the mission as I assured the Daimyō we would, he has graced us with some information I was led to believe would prove worth our while." Akane said, propping her head up with her hand, her elbow on the table.

"Was it worth it?" Hideki asked.

Akane nodded. "It's just a rumor of course but a few sources have confirmed it's possible."

"Alright, what is it then?" Kyoske asked.

"A new Hidden Village has risen between the Waterfall village and Hot Water village." Akane said. "It calls itself the Hidden Sound Village and it's just outside of the Leaf Village."

"Hidden Sound Village?" Kyoske repeated. "Sounds a load of nonsense."

"I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case but what makes this village all the more interesting is who was spotted in that area just a few days before it was formed."

"Who?" I asked.

"Orochimaru."

A cold chill shot through my body. Kyoske just stared at Akane, his mouth slightly open while Hideki seemed calm but his hands were clenched into tight fists at his sides. Megumi-sensei continued to stare straight ahead and if she was affected by the name currently settling in the air between Akane and us, she didn't show it. It was almost like she expected it.

"What does he have to do with us?" Kyoske asked, finally, the only one able to find his voice. It was hard for him, I knew it was. It brought back painful memories for both him and Hideki. My feelings were mixed when it came to the once great and legendary Sanin.

He was a snake of a man, slimy and full of tricks. I barely remembered when he came to our village but I do remember how happy everyone was to see him. No one had questioned why he was there, until the end, until the massacre happened and he showed up in my hospital room, saying that everyone hated me.

I shivered, feeling the distant tug of my memories bubbling and shook them away. I didn't have time to look back. I had to look forward. I had to stay focused. It didn't matter how I felt about Orochimaru. It wasn't about me. It was about my village and its safety. My village didn't like Orochimaru because he had played us all and taken from us, taken our youth for the sake of his twisted experiments that had more body counts than successes.

"The Chunin Exams are going to be held in Konoha this year." Akane said. "The Sound will be entering."

"We've been entered?" Megumi-sensei asked and watched as Akane slid a file toward us.

"Yes." She answered.

"But we're not competing?" Kyoske asked, sounding sad.

"You will go as far as the Sound goes." Akane said.

"So even if it means we have go to the final round, we're competing?" Kyoske asked.

"Kyoske." Megumi-sensei said her voice filled with warning.

"He's looking for clarification and rightfully so." Hideki piped in.

I nodded, folding my arms. "With all do respect Priestess Akane, we've fought in the Exams before."

"Actually, we never made it to any actual fighting." Kyoske said in a tone that matched Akane's dry one. "We've done that written part like eight times, been to at the Forest of Death gates like three times and actually in the forest maybe twice."

"Talk about exaggerating." I sighed.

"But it's true." Kyoske said, looking right at me, his gray eyes burning.

I nodded. "Yeah we never get to show off."

"But it's never been my fault. If it were up to me, you'd have been Chunin the moment you all graduated from the Academy." Akane said. "Regardless, this time you will follow the Sound and even if they leave you four will still be staying around to watch the exams unless directed otherwise."

"There's more." Hideki said, his eyes narrowing behind his dark sunglasses.

"My contact also told me that since Orochimaru was so close to the Konoha that he might be planning to attack it during the exams. It's already going to be hectic with all the nations present but it would be chaos of a threat as big as Orochimaru comes barging in."

"What do you want us to do if we find out the Sound is planning something? What do we do if Orochimaru appears?" Hideki asked. "What does the Daimyō want?"

"I think the Daimyō as well as every other leader across all the lands wouldn't mind if Orochimaru was gone." Megumi-sensei said. "But the Daimyō merely gave us this information."

"Exactly." Akane confirmed with a nod. "It's for us to do with it what we see fit."

"So if it is all true, if he does appear and he is planning something we fight to take him out." Megumi-sensei said.

"But we need to be the ones who deliver the final blow." Akane said. "If we can bring him to light before he does harm, that's the best option. If not and he reveals himself in a fight, we do whatever it takes to be the first to take him out."

"Sounds fair." Kyoske said.

"Why?" Hideki asked.

"Think about how much good it would do for our small village to be acknowledged by the other lands. We live near a Village that acknowledges our existence only when they need something bad done. Being known as the village who brought the Sound Village to light and took down Orochimaru gives us credit and gives a chance to show the nations just how serious we all are." Akane said. "In short we get respect that has been long overdue."

"But the Daimyō can't find out about these plans or he'll find a way to make it seem like he gave the order." Hideki said.

Akane nodded.

"Hiding from our own nation isn't the issue." I said. "We just have to be sure that we're the first to pull him out of the shadows. That's what's hard."

"Hard but possible." Akane noted.

We all nodded in agreement.

"Is that all?" Hideki asked. "If it is, we'll break away to plan our roles."

Akane smiled with no emotion and shifted in her seat. The nurse beside her placed her free hand on Akane's arm, as if to steady her.

"Actually, no. I have another request, more so an assumption." Akane said. "I believe Orochimaru is searching another host and I believe if he does in fact attack the village or even if he doesn't and is in the Leaf, he will be searching for that host."

"Host." Kyoske stiffened at the word.

It was a word we had all suffered through. Our pasts were jumbled and wound together so tightly, it was suffocating at times. We had all been in line to be Orochimaru's next host but a big part of the test was the curse mark and whether or not we'd survive it was the big question. What we learned after the fact was that there were many more tests which meant more suffering and all of us had failed it, but that didn't stop Orochimaru from continuing to use us.

"Who is it?" Hideki asked, sweat forming on his brow.

"It's all in the file but I believe his next target is Sasuke Uchiha." Akane explained.

"Uchiha? As in the lone survivor of the Uchiha clan massacre?" Kyoske gasped.

Akane nodded.

"It makes sense." Akane nodded. "Orochimaru has always wanted an Uchiha body."

"They've just proven too powerful for him to take." Hideki said.

"You want us to keep an eye on him, then?" I asked.

"Get him to trust you." Akane said. "If you have an Uchiha on your side, they'll come to you if they find any information."

"You think he's contacting Orochimaru?" Kyoske asked.

"I think he's more than capable of." Akane corrected. "After everything that boy has gone through, I wouldn't put it past him. He's the perfect target."

She had a strong point and I felt myself nod as Megumi-sensei reached for the file on Akane's desk. She flipped it open and stiffened.

"Something wrong?" Akane asked, her eyes narrowing.

We all looked at Megumi-sensei just as her body relaxed once more. She forced a tight smile onto her lips and passed the file over to me. Her eyes never left Akane, in fact strength burned behind her eyes, as she regarded our priestess.

I held the file in my hands, staring down at the first thing on the page, a photo of four shinobi. I tried to hide my surprise just as Kyoske inhaled his own. It was the four shinobi from the bridge, White Fang, the blond boy, pink girl, and fallen boy. The pink girl was smiling into the camera while the White Fang had his hands resting on the boy's heads. The blonde had his arms folded and was scowling at the fallen boy, the one with the onyx hair and according to the picture angry black as night eyes. In return the boy had not bothered to hide the expression on his face that said there were hundreds of places he'd rather have been.

"You're all mighty quiet now." Akane said, not bothering to hide her suspicions.

"Nothing is wrong." Megumi-sensei lied. "It just took a moment to recognize the Uchiha in the picture."

"They all look that capable? I think you'd better check your eyes before you leave." Akane said.

I flipped the photo over and found a picture of the onyx haired boy. At the bottom was his name. Sasuke Uchiha, 12. It was a photo copy of his ninja ID card.

"You've got to be kidding me." Kyoske groaned and when he saw the strange look Akane shot him along with a pins and needle one from Megumi-sensei, he held up his hands.

"I mean it's bad enough we have to watch out for Orochimaru and now we have to babysit a brat?" He said.

"I don't think I've ever heard you complaining about a mission, Kyoske." Akane said.

"He complains all the time, but it's not babysitting if we sit down and plan everything." Hideki said. "One person can watch Uchiha if anything."

Kyoske was about to say something when Megumi-sensei rose to her feet.

"We'll leave you now Milady. I'll have a mission debrief on your desk in the morning." She said. We rose to our feet right after and gave Priestess Akane a farewell bow before we shuffled out of her door.

"You leave in one week." Akane said. "That's a whole week before the exams are officially set to begin so it gives you time to get to know those shinobi."

Megumi-sensei nodded and shut the door behind her. We shuffled wordlessly down the hall and it was only when we were standing in the front yard that Kyoske put on the breaks.

"Are you not going to tell her?" Kyoske asked.

"Not now." Hideki growled.

"She doesn't need to know anything." Megumi-sensei snapped.

"What if she finds out that you know White Fang?" Kyoske asks. "Wouldn't it be like a conflict of interest?"

"What are you suggesting?" Megumi-sensei growled, her eyes narrowing.

"Nothing he's being stupid." I said, jumping between them. "What he meant to say sensei was just that maybe that was a good time to mention that technically we have met these shinobi, out on the bridge today."

"And why would we mention that?" Megumi-sensei said.

"Because not mentioning it makes it seem like we have something to hide." Hideki said.

"Yes well we're not hiding anything. It's not important to mention it." Megumi-sensei snapped. "Now go on and get to planning. I have a debrief to write."

She left us then, disappearing into the midday air, leaving us in Priestess Akane's nearly abandoned yet heavily floral front yard.


	3. Chapter 3: A Complicated Puzzle!

**Chapter 3:**

"Can we first talk about how crappy this whole thing is?" Kyoske whined. "Or better yet how terrible this whole day has been?"

"We don't have any time to whine. We have to get started on this mission right away." Hideki said, pulling the file close to him.

I was holding the team photo in my hand and was busy studying their faces. Team 7. That was what they were called. Sakura Haruno, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sasuke Uchiha. Their squad leader was Kakashi Hatake who went by two names: White Fang and Copy ninja. As laid back as he looked, he was strong and had numerous missions under his belt not to forget that our village also owed him our lives. Without him, everything we had and knew would have been burned to the ground.

"Miyuki, are you listening?" Hideki sighed.

I looked away from the picture, blinking rapidly. "I'm sorry, what happened?"

Kyoske groaned. "No she's too busy getting all googly-eyed over the Uchiha kid."

I felt my cheeks burn as I glared at Kyoske.

"I am not getting googly-eyed." I said.

Kyoske waved a hand through the air. "Whatever."

"We said you were going to be the one to follow Uchiha." Hideki said.

I opened my mouth to protest but Hideki lifted a hand.

"This mission has to be done right so we'll need to stick to our specialties. Uchiha has trust issues and judging by that photo he doesn't even let his teammates in. You're good at getting people to open up and trust you so you'll be in charge of mostly Uchiha but also the other two Genin."

"Wha—"

"Make them eat out of the palm of your hand." Kyoske said. "I'll stick to learning more about the Sound village."

"Seedy investigative work?" I groaned. "Why do I have to baby sit?"

"Because you're good at it and if I do it I might kill them all." Hideki said.

"And if I do it you'll need to take me in because I'll destroy the village." Kyoske said.

"But Kyoske gets to do the fun work!" I protested.

"While you get to sit on your butt and pretend that everything is all fine and dandy. If anything we're doing the more dangerous work." Kyoske said.

"I'll stick to hacking whatever I can. Information on the other Genin coming to the exams, the Sound Village. I'll even hack into the ANBU database." Hideki said. "Anything and everything so we can stay on top of everything and everyone."

"Sounds good." Kyoske said and grabbed a few papers from the file.

"So unfair." I groaned.

"If we need help we'll come to you." Kyoske said.

I pouted and as much as it burned me that the boys got to do actual work, something productive, I knew what their real motive was. I looked at the two of them, watching them brainstorm and talk over the mission as that familiar tug came again and this time a few images slipped through my mind. Me, one of Orochimaru's many pawns, another victim, except I could never remember feeling like one. My memory with him was foggy and it was as if I had been asleep for a good portion of it. One minute I was in the hospital room and the next Megumi-sensei was looking down at me, tears shining in her eyes as she assured me I would be going home. I had glimpses of the bad, of blood splattered rooms, foul smells, and violent screams echoing from long hallways. But I had glimpses of the good, Orochimaru smiling down at me and holding my hand and treating me with such kindness, convincing me that he would protect me.

But it had all been a lie and when I had caught sight of all I had done while under his control…there was no questioning why the boys wanted me as far from him as possible. They were afraid after all these years, that I would go down that violent path again. They were afraid the deeper I sank into the world of Orochimaru and uncovering his purpose, that I would like it, miss it, and go back to it. I looked at my teammates, feeling, not for the first time, the weight of their feelings for me. I was like their little sister, but I also knew that they had not always felt that way. There had been a time during our captivity where they been terrified of me.

It was hard to believe that Kyoske with his big mouth, snarky smile and confident eyes, could be afraid of anything. He had wavy, brown hair, with bangs so long he was constantly brushing them away with his hand, but there was always that one piece that came back over and managed to block the symbol on his headband. He was the first to rush off into battle, the first to finish his meals, the first to do any and everything. I had distant memories that he had always been like that too, his competitive nature never failing even under Orochimaru's clutches. Kyoske was a skilled fighter, skilled in all aspects just like the rest of us, but he was even better when it came to swordsmanship. He carried a small one at all times and it was his most prized possession but he was always careful to never depend on it too much. That was his belief as a ninja, becoming dependent on one technique made you known for using it and in order to be a successful ninja, one had to be skilled in all aspects, not just one.

Then there was Hideki, who was the sanity in our group. A skill shinobi in the art of espionage, Hideki was great negotiating, at getting in your head and he was even better in battle. He was skilled in Water dragon techniques but he favored hand to hand combat. He kept all his weapons in a small weapons pouch at his waist along with a small gourd of water for his jutsu. He was the most serious between Kyoske and I and he always wore a scowl, his dark eyes always watching behind his dark sunglasses. His forehead protector was always fastened on his forehead, his hair long and shaggy and a shade of dark purple.

"So, you think Sensei is mad at us?" Kyoske asked, sounding bored as he looked through the files.

"Mad at you? Yes. Us? No." Hideki grumbled.

" _Me_? What did I do?" Kyoske asked.

"You've been getting under her skin all day. I'm surprised she hasn't choked you yet. What was with that assumption by the way? Her and the White Fang?"

"That was a bit much." Hideki pointed out dryly.

"I wasn't implying anything!" Kyoske said before giving it some thought. Then he scratched the back of his head. "But I guess…I guess it came out that way."

"You _think_?" I said and stretched, catching a glimpse of myself in my long mirror. I was still in my mission clothes even though I had vowed to strip out of them the minute we made it back to my apartment. All I had done was loosen my hair from it's braid, and now it framed my face in loose curls, ending just below my waist. I studied my oval face, my big purple eyes, small nose and polite mouth. I was petite, with a small waist and features meant for a girl well into her teen years, not a pre-teen. The boys were constantly coming to my defense when it came to perverts but they did it more for the perverts than for me because once I caught them it was hard for me to let them go and for my hands to stay clean.

"Ugh! Whatever!" Kyoske growled, frustrated. "I just found it odd she didn't mention we met these guys that's all."

"I can't believe the White Fang is this man." Hideki said, turning Kakashi's ninja ID card around. "I mean he doesn't look like much."

"That's what getting old does to you." Kyoske yawned.

"He's like in his late twenties." I said.

"Old." Kyoske said and I rolled my eyes.

"Hopeless." I sighed.

"Wait a second." Hideki gasped.

"What's wrong?" I asked, shocked by the concern and shock in his voice. Hideki was never shocked.

"I can't believe it." Hideki breathed.

"Can't believe what?" Hideki asked, leaning in to catch a good look of the file Hideki was holding. Hideki moved the file away so that he could read it over.

"That Uzumaki boy." He continued.

"You mean the doofy looking one?" Kyoske asked, nodding toward the group picture. "What about him?"

I looked down at the picture and zoomed in on Naruto Uzumaki, the blonde boy with what seemed like whiskers on his face and the clearest blue eyes I had ever seen. His skin was tan from hours spent training in the sun and something told me that scowl in Uchiha's direction was well deserved.

"He's…there's…he's a Jinchūriki." Hideki said, placing the file in his hands on the floor. "He's the holder of the Nine Tailed Fox that destroyed the nearly destroyed the village all those years ago."

"No way." Kyoske said, scrambling for the file and Naruto's ID card. " _This_ little moron is the Jinchūriki?"

"That would explain the red cloud on the bridge." I said and then tapped my chin. "Come to think of it, it did look like a fox."

"No! _No_! There's no damn way!" Kyoske protested. "It's a joke. It has to be."

"What if that's Orochimaru's plan? What if he wants to use that boy to destroy the Leaf so that he can take Uchiha in the chaos?" Hideki asked.

"That's a bit much, don't you think?" Kyoske asked. "But there's no way this kid is the Jinchūriki."

"Kyoske." I said, as I thought Hideki's words over. While the idea was a bit stretched, I wouldn't be surprised if Naruto was worked into the plan somehow and served as Orochimaru's distraction.

"But I can see it." I told Hideki.

"Now you have to keep an eye on him too." Hideki said.

"Wait? You guys seriously buy this Jinchūriki nonsense?" Kyoske asked.

I nodded at Hideki stiffly.

"We'll help you of course. We'll take turns if anything."

"What about Sakura?" Kyoske asked.

"She likes Uchiha, or he means a lot to her. I don't know if they're close or anything but if something happens and she notices, I have a feeling he'll tell her and she'll be the one to keep it a secret." I said.

"Good catch." Hideki said. "In that case we have to get to know them overall. You focus on Uchiha, Miyuki and we'll all try to keep an eye on the others."

"There's no way he's a Jinchūriki, though." Kyoske said.

"Kyoske." I growled. "He is so accept it."

"Yeah but he's doofy." Kyoske said.

"And so are you." Hideki said.

Kyoske glared at him. "Shut up."

Hideki looked at me. "Think you can handle this?"

I looked down at the team picture, taking in each of their faces and managed a nod, "I can handle it."

"Remember the mission, Miyuki." Hideki said. "Don't get too attached to them. If we have to kill one of them, we have to be able to cut our ties and put the mission before ourselves."

I looked at him. "I can kill them if we need to."

"We're gonna kill them?" Kyoske asked.

Hideki shrugged. "I'm not sure but if they get in our way, we have no other choice. If we have to fight them during the exams, we will and we will defeat them because our mission requires us too."

"We get it, follow the mission." I said. "We won't get it twisted."

"Yeah, we got this Hideki." Kyoske said before pushing up to his feet and stretching. "Alright as fun as this has been it's about time I get home to sleep."

"Yeah, before this turns into a slumber party." Hideki said as he gathered the loose papers back into the folder.

"You guys are leaving already?" I asked, rising to my feet with Hideki.

"Yeah, we already know the mission like the back of our hands. Now to just train and get in that Chunin exam mind set." Kyoske said, as he threw a few quick jabs at the air.

"Do whatever it takes to win and get this mission over and done with. Orochimaru must be stopped and we cannot let him take Uchiha." Hideki said.

"Right." Kyoske and I said in unison. Hideki nodded and headed for the door.

"Night." Kyoske said with a wave as I closed the door behind them.

I pressed my back against the door and looked down at the photo one last time. I had swiped it before Hideki had had a chance to grab it and crumpled it into my fist before he noticed. There was something about the photo, something about this team. I looked at Naruto as Kyoske's doofy comments rolled around my head. His file had said he was hyperactive and craved attention. He was obnoxious and loud and was probably more trouble than he was worth but he was important to keep an eye on. He was a Jinchūriki the file that had been labeled as such had been stamped "CONFIDENTIAL". His team didn't know and I wondered, if he even knew.

Then, there was Sakura, with her sweet smile and flowing pink hair. Her file had her marked as a book-smart kunoichi. Her fighting skills were basic at best, enough strictly to survive and nothing else. She was even had good entry-level medic skills but I knew on some level she couldn't connect fully with her teammates. Naruto's parents had died while Sasuke had watched his entire clan get murdered right before his very eyes. Sakura had grown up with both of her parents and for the most part her life was seemingly normal. She didn't understand what t felt like to not have parents, to not have anyone. She didn't understand what it meant to be fully and utterly alone.

There was the White Fang, skilled and laid back. He was a far cry from the great shinobi we had read about from our history classes at the Academy. His story had been the stuff of fairy tales and I remembered little girls dreaming of the White Fang coming to their rescue just as he had for Megumi-sensei all those times. But I knew from his expression and words on the bridge that something had happened between them, something that he had blamed himself for and now…now she was alive and well and he couldn't understand how.

Lastly, there was Sasuke Uchiha. His file had revealed that he was a star student, excelling in all areas. He was quiet and kept to himself and seemed calm for the most part except there was a look in his onyx eyes and it was dark and sinister and enough to make my stomach rumble. His family had been massacred right before his eyes and that was something I sympathized with him for, a pain I knew intimately. But what made us different was that I didn't carry that look, I didn't carry that burning tidal wave of pain and hatred for the world behind my eyes. But, that was something one learned from being with others and something told that Sasuke hadn't had anyone to teach him.

Then there was the team overall, different personalities with different views on life thrown together and expected to get along and work together like one single unit. They had egos and dreams and passions and I had a good feeling they could get blinded with it all too.

But, looking at Naruto there was a fire in his eyes that I had never seen before. He might have been a lot of things but he had vision and because of that I knew he would go far. Looking at Sakura, she might be mediocre and in the way sometimes, but she would learn to deal with the boys as best she could while lifting them up because that was who she was. An adjuster. She'd make the most of it. Kakashi would be there to show them the way, teach them how to work together, tell them to toughen up when things looked bleak. He'd b the one holding the torch and all they had to do was follow behind him. But, Sasuke…I wasn't sure where he fit in. I wasn't sure what he wanted either and it scared me, not being able to get a good read on him. Where did he fit into the picture?

I moved away from the door, tossing the photo on top of my desk as I began to strip out of my clothes. It would be my job in a week to find out everything I could about Sasuke without spilling any beans about my own painful past. We had more in common than I think anyone realized and while I could use that to my advantage, the last thing I wanted was to think about any of it myself. It wasn't worth it to spend time looking back when looking forward held the most possibility, the most potential.

I climbed into bed and shut off the light, staring at the starkness of my white ceiling, my mind racing. But, I had to protect him. I had to protect Uchiha from Orochimaru, protect him from making the same mistake Kyoske, Hideki and I had made. Following a man with empty words and broken promises. From trusting in an empty god who would lead him down a path filled with pain and blood and sorrow.

I closed my eyes and sighed. I had to and I would. I would protect Sasuke with my life and I would do everything in my power to make sure that he never had to go through what I had. I'd sacrifice myself before I'd let him be taken.

I would. I would.


	4. Chapter 4: A Chance Encounter!

**Chapter 4:**

"So what are your roles again?"

We were standing by the front gates of Konoha and had just finished checking in when suddenly Megumi-sensei stopped walking and turned to face us. She stared down at us expectantly and Kyoske piped up first.

"I'll be doing bullying." He said with a smile. "The usual blackmailing and stalking."

"I'll be hacking whatever information I can." Hideki said.

I sighed, feeling all eyes land on me when it was my turn to speak. "I'm the babysitter."

I still wasn't over it. I didn't mind watching the Leaf shinobi but it bothered me that while I would be talking and hanging out, my teammates would be doing all the dirty and exciting work. Even though it was for my own good, it still wasn't fair.

"And I'll be talking it up with the Jonin, finding out whatever I can." Megumi-sensei said. "I have a few contacts in this village so I'll be visiting them, seeing if Akane's information matches and if there's anything new."

We nodded and Megumi-sensei turned to face the village and we took it on, The Village Hidden by Leaves and it's famous Hokage faces carved into the wall in the backdrop. I couldn't remember ever coming to Konoha before and whatever I had seen of it, it was in pictures but it was way better in person and was the most populated place I had seen or at least ever noticed. People hurried past us as we walked, heading in every direction, chatting with each other, yelling across to each other. It was lively and exciting and I was happy to be here, happy to at least have time to take it all in and not jump into work right away.

"This is so cool." I said to Kyoske. "It's better than the pictures."

"It's alright." He said as he flipped through what looked like a tourist book. I arched an eyebrow. I couldn't remember the last time Kyoske had read something and better yet I hadn't remembered seeing him stop to pick up a book either.

"How did you…did you swipe that?" I whisper-hissed.

"Old man wasn't watching." Kyoske yawned. "I'm thinking of checking out this food. I'm starving aren't you?"

"Kyoske that's not okay. Stealing is bad." I said.

"When he gets his hands chopped off for stealing, maybe he'll learn his lesson one day." Hideki said.

"I'm going to keep my hands thank you very much!" Kyoske snapped.

"Alright, this is where we part ways." Megumi-sensei said and reached into one of the pockets on her pants and pulled out three sheets of crumpled up paper. She handed one to each of us and we smoothed it out.

"This is the address of the apartment we've rented. It's on the other side of town, on the super touristy side." Megumi-sensei said. "We'll meet there later today, maybe for dinner or something to recap and regroup."

With that, she turned and disappeared in the passing breeze and afterwards, we all looked at each other.

"What should we do first?" I asked. "I say we take this day to just get to know this place."

"We should work on the mission at least a little bit." Hideki said.

"Barbeque." Kyoske said, closing his guidebook. "Final offer."

My face brightened. "That sounds awesome."

"Where's the nearest place?" Hideki asked.

"We're going to good places not fake little shops. There's a good place near their Academy." Kyoske said and began leading the way. We followed and a few minutes later we were being seated in a booth.

"This place is so great." I said while turning to looked around the quaint little shop. It was cute and looked out onto the busy streets below.

"We came at a good time." Hideki said and looked down at the menu.

"Alright, so let's get down to business." Kyoske said.

"Can't we talk about anything else other than our mission?" I asked, pouting.

"How do you plan on approaching Uchiha?" Kyoske asked.

I rolled my eyes. "I have to plan an approach?"

"He doesn't seem like the type to just strike up a conversation with someone." Kyoske said dryly.

"He isn't. Which means you need to get in with someone else first." Hideki said.

"I have a plan, alright? Can we stop worrying about my part? What about you two, huh? What are you going to do first?"

Kyoske grinned and pointed to Hideki. "Hideki was kind enough to print out our competition for the Exams."

"You're gonna get the stalking done early?" I sighed.

Kyoske nodded. "There's Rookies attending."

"Rookies?" I repeated.

Hideki nodded. "Rookie 9 is what they're being called. The newest batch of students from the Academy will be attending the exams and guess which group is part of it."

The chime of the shop clanged gently and I glanced back, my eyes widening when I saw the people who stepped through the door.

"Team 7." I breathed.

"Exactly." Kyoske said with a laugh. "Those fools are legit going to be part of the Chunin Exams."

"No!" I whisper-hissed, turning back around. "They're here. Team 7 is here."

The boys went rigid because the moment I had announced their arrival, we all heard Naruto Uzumaki's voice coming from just behind us.

"If that cat runs away one more time I swear I'm just going to explode! Believe it!" He said as their server set them down at a table beside ours.

"This is just great." Kyoske grumbled.

"Naruto stop complaining." Sakura scolded and then smiled over at Sasuke who was sitting at the head of their table. "Sasuke what are your ordering? Maybe we can share!"

"Huh? Sakura don't you want to share with me instead?" Naruto asked.

Sakura glared at him. "No."

I studied Sasuke, the sternness of his face, the glare in his eyes, not too strong enough but powerful enough for me to know that it was always reflected in his eyes. He seemed like the type that didn't like to be bothered with stupidity and with the way he regarded his two arguing teammates, they fit the profile perfectly.

"I wonder what Kakashi-sensei wants to tell us." Sakura said. "It sounded important."

"He's gonna be late for it anyway." Sasuke said, his voice deeper than I had expected with a slightly bored edge to it. It was like the man version of Akane's voice.

"That's true. That's another thing that pisses me off. His lateness. How is he late for everything?" Naruto groaned.

Sakura laughed lightly. "Yeah he'll be late for his own wedding I'm sure."

Naruto joined in with the laughter and Sasuke's eyes were just cutting over to our table when our served stepped into his view. I looked away, realizing I had been full blown staring at them and prayed as our server took our orders that he would be looking away.

"Now's your chance, Miyuki." Hideki said before turning to rattle off our orders.

"Chance for what?" I growled.

"To bug whichever one of them you were going to start with." Kyoske said.

I looked over to Sakura, taking in her excited expression, her glittering emerald eyes. I had decided Sakura was my way in. She was the most gullible of the group in my opinion, good grades aside. Having some idle girl talk would be the be all the invitation I needed.

"Sakura." I muttered.

"Nice." Kyoske said.

"I would have chosen Uzumaki." Kyoske said. "He looks easy to fool."

I nodded and felt my eyes shift over to Naruto. True, he did look like an easy person to fool but I also feared he was smarter than he came off. I felt like overall he was underestimated and I didn't want me making him my first target, playing with his emotions to be the ammo that Orochimaru needed to push him over the edge. Jinchūriki were emotional creatures and if they got too worked up the seal holding their demons in place could break or crack and that small slip of power could do worlds of damage or worse get Naruto killed.

"Sakura is perfect. She's smart but…naïve." I said. "More so than Naruto."

Kyoske nodded as our server turned and sauntered over to Team 7's table. They prattled off their orders, Naruto and Sakura with smiles and Sasuke with closed eyes and lips pressed into a hard line. Either way, the server walked away looking infatuated with him.

"Charming." Hideki muttered.

"Doesn't even have to try." Kyoske said and shook his head. "Boy's got skills."

"But he doesn't care." I said.

"I'll be right back." Sakura said with a flip of her hair.

"Okay." Naruto said.

"Don't eat all the food either, Naruto." Sakura growled as she walked away.

"Huh? Sakura! I won't! That was one time!" He called after her. I watched from the corner of my eye as Sakura walked to the ladies' room and disappeared behind the door.

"I'll be right back." I said, rising from the booth. Hideki stepped out of my way and when I turned to walk I found both Naruto and Sasuke staring right at me. Naruto looked shocked, his mouth slightly open while Sasuke had his arms propped up on the table on his elbows and his hands were folded in front of his mouth. His dark eyes felt like they were digging deep into my soul and I felt my palms itch.

"Whoa." Naruto said, a light blush form on his cheeks.

I didn't give them another glance. I turned on my heels and started down the hall toward the bathroom and walked in just in time to see Sakura turn on the water. I shut the door behind me and walked to the sink right beside hers, noting the small glance she shot me in my direction even though she had tried to be sneaky about it.

I turned on the faucet and dipped my hands into the running water. She was analytical and I knew curiosity would get to her. I was an unfamiliar face in the land of her birth and better yet I was a kunoichi from another village. I tried to give her a view of the forehead protector fastened to my bicep.

She finished washing her hands and reached for a towel. I scrubbed between my fingers and when I was done I turned off the faucet and our eyes met. I watched her shoulders stiffen slightly and realized she had probably been staring at me and was scared she had been caught and too slow to look away.

"Hi." I offered, forcing a kind smile onto my lips.

She seemed taken a back for a moment but slowly, a shaky smile spread across her lips. She had big eyes, pert nose, and a shy smile. She seemed a bit taken a back by my greeting but quickly got over it, offering me a more confident smile.

"Hello." She said with a breath.

"I'm sorry, you just looked, you're so, I'm…sorry." She was blushing by the end of it and looked about as red as a tomato.

"It's alright." I smiled as I reached for a towel to dry my hands.

"I just thought I knew you from somewhere." Sakura said sheepishly, sticking her tongue out a little bit as she shrugged it off.

I laughed lightly. "Yeah, I get that a lot."

Sakura nodded. "I'm Sakura. Sakura Haruno."

She offered a hand and I looked down at it. She didn't recognize me and I was sure during my fight with Zabuza that Kyoske had shouted my name. I wasn't going to lie about anything, I would welcome the association with open arms, but I hesitated a brief second.

I slipped my hand into hers before she could pull her hand away and deepened my smile.

"Miyuki. Miyuki Obanji."

I stared into her eyes, waiting or it to click, waiting for recognition to flash but nothing came. Nothing happened. Sakura merely nodded appreciatively and pulled her hand away.

"Nice to meet you Miyuki." She said and then looked down at my forehead protector. "You visiting from the Land of Water?"

Her question made me hesitate. It meant she had no idea what was going on or what was going to be happening in a week. She didn't know about the Chunin Exams which meant the White Fang hadn't told her or her team.

I nodded. "Yeah, a much needed vacation I guess you can say. All funded by our sensei."

Sakura nodded. "That's great! Is it your first time in Konoha?"

I nodded again. "Yeah. We're just enjoying the sights so far."

"You'll love it here. I'm sure it's much different than what you're used to in the Land of Water." Sakura said.

I smiled. Kirigakure was a sleepy town in the middle of mist and fog. Nothing much happened and it was always so eerily quiet. Konoha was the exact opposite.

"It is. We're trying to get in all the sights before we go back home." I said. "But we're not so good with reading everything in a book. It's always so easy to write things down on paper you know and play it up but when you get there it looks like everything else, nothing special. It would be nice to have a native walk us through."

Sakura nodded. "For sure, hey if you want I don't mind telling you a few places to check out. We can't today because we have something with our sensei in a few but we could meet up this week to show you around."

My eyes sparkled. "Really Sakura? You'd do that?"

She nodded and I reached for her hands, holding them between my own.

"Thank you! That means so much!" I said.

"It's no problem at all, Miyuki. My team and I would be happy to show you around."

"You're a total lifesaver." I said as we left the bathroom together.

I could feel Kyoske's and Hideki's eyes on us but nothing was more painfully obvious than Naruto's eyes and gaping mouth as he watched us exit the bathroom laughing as if we were the best of friends.

We reached her table and she motioned to her teammates.

"These are my friends. Naruto and Sasuke." Sakura said, motioning to them.

"Guys this is Miyuki." Sakura said.

"It's nice to meet you." I said, giving them a small wave.

"Miyuki…" Naruto said and I watched it all click in his head.

"I know you." He said, his eyes serious.

"Huh?" Sakura asked. Sasuke's eyes cut over to the blonde and in that moment I knew what the two of them were thinking. How could Naruto know me? Naruto of all people.

"Yeah I remember you. Don't you remember her, Sakura?" Naruto asked and then blushed up at me. "You're that girl from the Land of Waves."

Recognition worked its way onto Sakura's face and she took a step back, her hand shooting up to cover her face just as our table servers returned with our sizzling meals. They set them down and I watched as both servers shot Sasuke glances before giggling to the kitchen.

"Now I remember you!" Sakura said. "That was you, you and your sensei."

I held up my hands. "You got me."

"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked, his eyes innocent.

"She said she was on vacation with her team." Sakura said and her eyes found Kyoske and Hideki who of course had been watching their table with stern faces. Sakura looked back at me, an edge in her eyes. "Is that even true?"

"Relax pinky." Kyoske called.

"Kyoske." I said, shooting him a dark look. "Be nice."

Sakura was flushing and I could see her biting down her words before she turned to me again, demanding answers.

"We are on vacation and yes I—we remember you from the Land of Waves." I smiled. "But it's purely coincidence."

"So you are on vacation?" Sakura asked.

"We are hardworking shinobi." Kyoske said. "I'd say every now and then we'd deserve a break."

"So these are the other two who were under those other ANBU masks?" Sakura asked, looking at my teammates.

I nodded. "Yes Kyoske and Hideki."

The boys gave a small wave, Kyoske a bored one and Hideki a curt hand raise.

Naruto nodded at the boys and then looked up at me. "In the Land of Waves your sensei and ours…what…how do they know each other?"

"Really, kid you're going to ask that in this place?" Kyoske asked, and I watched Hideki kick him under the table.

"We'll tell you what we know if you tell us what you know." Hideki wagered.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

White Fang seemed to be just as mysterious and tight lipped as our sensei was. I had imagined their questions as soon as we left, and now that they were asking us for information, it was clear they had no idea who he was and if they did, they didn't understand.

"Sounds fair." Sakura said and looked down at her teammates as if for confirmation. Her eyes lingered on Sasuke's hard glare for a moment before she looked up and smiled tightly at me.

We moved our tables together then and I took a seat beside Naruto which made him blush an even deeper shade of scarlet.

"Alright, where do we start?" Hideki asked.

"Start with the reason you were in the Land of Waves to begin with." Sasuke demanded, earning a look from everyone at the table.

Kyoske smirked. "Sasuke, huh? Sasuke what?"

Sasuke looked at him, his expression hard. "Sasuke Uchiha."

"Oh an Uchiha…interesting." Kyoske smirked.

A silence fell over the table until I leaned forward and all eyes landed on me.

"We were in the Land of Waves on a mission." I said.

"You would remember if you hadn't gotten your ass handed to you." Kyoske added and Sasuke glared at him.

"On a mission to take out the crime lord Gato which Zabuza was kind enough to deal with before he passed." I explained.

"But you were dressed as ANBU." Naruto said.

I nodded. "We were, it was because we didn't want to be questioned. ANBU shows up to a battle and no questions are asked. They go in and get out."

"But we arrived and were attacked by your sensei." Hideki said and he looked at the Leaf ninja. "Why?"

"Because that was the same alibi as Haku." Sakura explained.

"Haku?" Kyoske repeated. "Who's that?"

"Haku was Zabuza's right hand man." Sasuke said. "Before Kakashi killed him."

"By accident." Naruto added. "He jumped in front of the way."

"How noble." Kyoske said dryly.

"And your sensei?" Sakura asked. "She removed her mask after everything."

"She did." I nodded.

"But before we launch into a discussion about our sensei let's do this. A question for a question." Kyoske said. "You had your turn and now it's our turn."

The Leaf shinobi stiffened, well Sakura and Naruto did. Sasuke still had his hands folded in front of his mouth and if anything the coldness in his eyes hardened.

"Fair enough." Naruto agreed.

"Your sensei, what was with his words. He thought our sensei was dead, what's up with that?" Kyoske asked.

Naruto and Sakura exchanged a look and it was clear then that they had no idea what it was about.

"After everything, we were focused on burying Haku and Zabuza and taking care of Sasuke." Sakura said. "When we got around to asking questions…Kakashi…he…he didn't give us any answers."

"Do you even know who your sensei is? The names he goes by?" Kyoske asked.

"Zabuza called him the Copy Cat ninja once, but it was because he has the Sharingan." Sakura said.

"Sharingan?" Kyoske said and exchanged a look with me.

"Only Uchiha's have that." I said.

"And last I checked there's only one and he's sitting at this table." Hideki said. "And he has both eyes intact."

Sakura nodded. "That's the only name we know."

"He's also called the White Fang, which is the name we're most familiar with in our land." I said.

"White Fang?" Sasuke repeated.

"He's a strong shinobi and he's saved our village in the past. Without his interference we wouldn't be here." Kyoske said.

"So that's how they know each other?" Naruto asked.

"Kakashi-sensei said everyone in his past life was dead." Sasuke said.

"That explains why he was so stunned afterwards." Sakura said. "When she revealed herself, he turned as white as paper."

"Our sensei lives for that shock factor effect." Kyoske said stretching.

I slid a piece of sizzling meat onto my plate and nodded. I couldn't argue with that. Megumi-sensei lived for the shocking and scaring people and what made it even better was that she was actually great at it. She could slit your throat in a crowded room and no one would see her, but everyone would be horrified afterwards.

"So that's all you know?" Sakura asked.

I nodded. "Scout's honor."

"We were hoping you knew more." Hideki said. "Our sensei didn't tell us much of anything. In fact, she didn't want to talk about it at all."

"That's all we know." Naruto said and then looked at me sheepishly.

"Something wrong, kid?" Kyoske said.

Naruto's eyes widened and he laughed lightly, scratching the back of his head as all eyes landed on me.

"Huh? N-nothing."

"You sure? You keep looking at my teammate like you have some sort of problem." Kyoske grumbled before fixing a glare on Sasuke who had been glaring at him for the past few minutes. "Much like Uchiha here keeps glaring at me."

"Kyoske." I snapped.

"Excuse our partner." Hideki said, earning a few looks. "He's bad with manners."

"If he has a problem, he should speak. I'm dying to know." Kyoske said.

"I'm just looking because she's…she's like really pretty." Naruto said, completely missing the fact that the issue wasn't with his staring but with Sasuke's.

"Hmph." Sasuke said, unfolding his hands and leaning back in his seat. "I don't have a problem but the fact that you think I do shows how nervous you are."

Kyoske's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"If you're nervous it means there's a part of your story that isn't true which makes me wonder exactly what that might be." Sasuke said.

"Sasuke." Sakura said, her eyes filled with worry.

"You're one to talk considering by the time we showed up you were knocked out, Uchiha." Kyoske said. "So you have no right to sit there and tear apart our words when you can't even begin to imagine what happened."

"I can actually." Sasuke said. "It sounds like you three show up just as Gato does with this big speech about how you're going to take him out. Gato dies and you three disappear only to come back a week later, in our village and sending in your teammate to talk to ours."

Kyoske tensed.

"I'm just pointing out suspicious you are, that's all." Sasuke said.

"We are on vacation." I said before Kyoske could explode and Sasuke's eyes cut over to me.

"It's coincidence, really."

"Then why didn't you tell Sakura who you were?" Sasuke asked.

My hands balled into tight fists under the table and I squeezed my eyes shut, lowering my head. My mind raced. He knew how to get under people's skin and while he was a long way from coming under mine I knew if I didn't come up with an answer soon, Kyoske would be jumping across the table to strangle the kid.

I opened my eyes and found that my vision was a little blurry around the edges. I remembered then, Sakura holding Sasuke in her arms, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed, thinking he was dead.

"I didn't want to…I didn't say anything because I didn't want her to get upset." I sniffed.

"Upset?" Naruto asked, concern in his eyes.

"When we got there, to the Land of Waves," I looked around the table, tears shining in my eyes as everyone looked at me, mystified, even Sasuke.

"When we got to the Land of Waves Sakura was crying because she thought you were dead." I sniffed and then lifted a hand to swipe at a stray tear. "I didn't want to put her through that again."

I was met with stunned looks at the table. even Hideki and Kyoske were stunned as they looked at me and slowly, very slowly, Hideki placed a gentle hand on my shoulder as I continued to wipe away my tears.

Sakura's expression softened and she nodded at me, her eyes burning with the memory. Naruto nodded slowly and Sasuke just stared at me a look caught somewhere between shock and confusion.

"Happy now jerk?" Kyoske asked. "Now you made Miyuki upset."

"Sasuke." Naruto said, earning a dark look from the boy.

"We should leave." Hideki said and rose from the table. He offered me his hand and I took it, allowing him to pull me up to my feet.

"He's sorry." Naruto said. "For upsetting you."

"It's too late for apologies but she'll take it." Kyoske said.

I continued to sniff and wipe at my eyes but managed a nod in Naruto's direction.

"I'm sorry if we upset you but I hope this doesn't put a damper on things." I sniffed. "We're really grateful to have met you guys even though our original meeting wasn't ideal."

"Same here." Sakura said. "Miyuki, we're sorry. Please, please stay. We won't…we won't even talk about the Land of Waves anymore."

"Nice offer, but we'll have to pass." Kyoske said.

"Unfortunately, we should be heading back to our apartment to unpack." Hideki said. "Hopefully we meet again."

"I hope that tour still stands, Sakura." I sniffed.

Sakura nodded. "Of course."

"This is where we're staying." Kyoske said, sliding his slip of paper on their table. "We'll be around."

I gave one final sniff before allowing the boys to lead me out of the shop and once we were outside and walking away, I composed myself, brushing my hair from my face and blinking my eyes rapidly to dry away the dampness in my eyes.

"Nice job back there." Hideki said.

"The water works really threw him off." Kyoske snickered.

"I had to do something." I said. "You two weren't helping."

"Well now we made him feel bad." Kyoske said. "I'm sure he'll be around soon to beg for forgiveness."

"Then he owes you." Hideki said. "Use that to your advantage."

"Of course." I said, unfastening my hair from it's braid, and working my fingers through it. "He doesn't get the chance to show us up at that table and try and push us around."

"Exactly." Hideki said.

"But he's good at finding the little things." Kyoske said. "Gotta give him credit there."

"Which means we have to be on our toes with him." Hideki said.

"I'll have him eating out of the palm of my hand by the time the Chunin Exams roll around." I promised. "Nothing to worry about."

It would be difficult because something told me nothing was easy when it came to Sasuke Uchiha. He hadn't seen my waterworks coming which means it was easy to throw him off but for how long I wasn't sure. He was suspicious of us and Kyoske sliding the address across the table was a good idea because it showed we had nothing to fear.


	5. Chapter 5: Enter! The Sand Genin!

**Chapter 5:**

"They don't know about the Chunin Exams." I said.

"Tch." Kyoske said as he did chin-ups on the door frame. "Figures."

"Kakashi announced today that he will be allowing them to take part in the exams." Megumi-sensei said.

"They bought our vacation idea." Hideki said from his spot near his hacking station. "It won't be along until they put two and two together."

"Specifically Sasuke." I pointed out.

"I'm sure that was the news that Kakashi was going to give them today." Kyoske grunted.

"He caused quite a scene. So much so that their old teacher, Iruka spoke up. The Rookie 9 just graduated and all of them were allowed entry. Everyone else feels like the brats will be easy pickings." Megumi-sensei said.

"With that Naruto brats big mouth he might get them killed if they make it to the forest." Kyoske said.

"Now we have to watch them in there too." I groaned.

"I'm sure they can handle themselves and if they die by other ninja hands…well then that's one less thing to worry about." Megumi-sensei said.

I looked at her and she met my look with one that put mine to shame.

"We're here to watch for Orochimaru. If Sasuke dies in the forest and it's not Orochimaru's doing, we no longer need to protect him. It's as simple as that. We don't need to protect them in the forest." She said.

"Right." Hideki said.

"Fine but what about the other Rookies? They all graduated together, right? What if they have information on the group too?" I asked.

"We can handle them." Hideki said. "You have enough on your plate with Sasuke."

"One of them is a boy crazy girl. Ino Yamanaka. I can handle her. I bet she has a crush on that Uchiha brat and she's way prettier than Sakura so who knows maybe the two have history." Kyoske said before releasing the door frame and landing on the ground. He was sweating all over, his shirt drenched and he reached for the towel he had thrown on the floor, wiping his brow with it.

"I'll handle the other group as well. There's an Aburame in that group and last I remember reading he's a bug user." Hideki said. "If we raise his suspicions that will make this whole mission that much harder."

"There's still no word yet on who the other village's are sending to the exam but I'm still trying to dig. I have a meeting now with an old friend." Megumi-sensei said.

"White Fang?" Kyoske asked, earning another dark look.

"He's not my friend." She said, venom in her voice.

"They Leaf shinobi don't know about him either. They didn't even know his history." I said as she headed for the door. "After everything that happened in the Land of Waves when they tried getting more information out of him he wouldn't say."

"Of course not." Megumi-sensei said as she opened the door. "He knows better."

She left then, slamming the door to make a point, and it was the sound of the door reverberating through our room.

"Ouch." Kyoske said.

"We need to find more information on those two." Hideki said. "There's something there."

Kyoske nodded and stretched. "I'm sure there is. I'm gonna take a shower."

"I'm gonna get us some snacks." I offered with a smile.

"Bring me dango." Kyoske called. "And I'll take the green tea too."

"Bring some rice balls too." Hideki said.

"And chips." Kyoske added.

I glared at both of them. "This sounds like a lot."

"Well this is what happens when you offer things." Kyoske called as he went into the bathroom. I rolled my eyes and headed out of our hotel, closing the door behind me. I left the building, inhaling the sweet night air and looked around. Konoha was still just as lively, with people scurrying around and it looked almost magical with the paper lanterns lit. I decided to get the dango first since a shop I had seen them in had been close to the entrance of the village.

I was walking through a crowded street when I saw a shortcut through a side street that seemed to lead to a less crowded walk way. I smiled to myself and turned down that path until I felt someone watching me. I didn't need to look around to confirm because whoever it was seemed ready for a fight of some kind. I waited until it really got under my skin, until it made sweat gather at the back of my neck before I swung around, my hand on my weapons pouch, my eyes scanning the side street for any sign of life. But I was alone and standing under a streetlight, feeling the full force of my paranoia. Suddenly I couldn't sense anything anymore. I sensed nothing but peace and quiet. No other body following me, no eyes watching my every move.

I was turning around when I felt it again and I pulled out a kunai ready to strike until a hand reached out to stop me. The body slammed against the wooden street wall and I gasped, struggling to release my hand while getting ready to kick the person off until I recognized them.

"S-Sasuke?" I breathed.

He was holding me in place, his free hand raised in defense in case I struck him.

"Wha-what are you doing?" I asked.

He pushed off of me, releasing me from his hold and my kunai clattered to the ground. I glared at him and he glared right back at me, except his of course won out.

"I know." He said.

"Excuse me?" I asked, hoping his words hadn't forced a reaction on my face the way it forced a reaction inside of me. My stomach dropped and I feared the worst. Did he know about Orochimaru? Had he known all this time?

"I know you're not here on vacation." Sasuke said.

"Then what else am I here for?" I asked.

His eyes narrowed. My heart dropped, fear clenching my stomach and at the back of my mind, I began fearing the worst.

"I'm not sure yet." Sasuke said.

My eyes widened. They had been entered in the exams and the White Fang hadn't told them. So exactly what had been said during their meeting?

"But I'm going to find out."

"Good luck." I said.

We stared each other down before I reached down to pick up my kunai. He stepped back, seeming ready for something until I shot him a look.

"What you looking to fight me?" I asked. "You've proven your point, you're onto us for whatever reason."

I slipped my kunai back in my pouch. "Now if you're not going to fight me, move out of my way."

I started to move past him and was only a few feet away when he called out to me.

"I was fading in out of consciousness that day." He called. I froze in my tracks. "I didn't understand it all until Sakura told me everything but one thing stuck out to me and the more I look at you three the more believable it becomes."

I glanced back at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Zabuza said he had heard of you and your squad. Ninja from a village forgotten in in the fog. He didn't want your hands getting any dirtier than they already were." Sasuke continued, a confident smirk on his lips.

My eyes widened. I doubted he had anything else but information like that could set Kyoske off and put our mission in jeopardy. I doubted Sasuke could hack anything too plus I couldn't imagine him having a mole anywhere either. But there was a promise in his words, an interest in us that ran so deep, it proved that if he wanted information, he wasn't afraid to find it through any means necessary. Which meant he wasn't afraid to ask Orochimaru who could easily twist that into getting him to help him.

"Sasuke…" I swallowed. "Don't be ridiculous."

He folded his arms. "I'm onto all of you and I don't trust you. I'm not a fool like Sakura and Naruto."

"I never said you were."

"I don't know what kind of game you three are playing but it's getting real old." Sasuke said. "And that says a lot since you all just got here."

"Even if we had an ulterior motive, it has nothing to do with you and your team."

"Saying that doesn't help you." Sasuke said, his eyes narrowing and smirk fading. "If anything it makes you more suspicious in my eyes.

I threw up my hands. "Well sorry if you're paranoid."

"Just watch yourselves." Sasuke said. "And tell your buddies I've got my eyes on them too." He disappeared then, leaving me alone in the side street as crows with beady black eyes took off from the tree branches in a nearby tree. I was trembling despite myself, angry that I had been the opposite of smooth. He was going to be a problem for sure.

…

One week later the the Genin from other villages had begun to arrive. The village was buzzing with excitement for the exam but to the best of my knowledge Kakashi still had not spilled the beans to his young Genin. We had hung out with Sakura and her squad only once the week before and Sasuke had been tearing us apart with his eyes. I hadn't told my team about the run-in with him, already imaging Hideki tearing my words apart.

"Any word yet on the Sound Village?" Kyoske asked as we were walking around one day.

Hideki shook his head. "No. Well, we know they're coming that much is up but their information isn't up yet, it just shows a bunch of numbers."

"That's crazy." I said. "And frustrating."

"How's it going with the Uchiha?" Kyoske asked.

I looked straight away, feeling a bead of sweat form at my temple. I hadn't had a chance to hunt Sasuke down all week. I had been so shaken by his words, shaken by his suspicions, I had focused more on hanging out with Sakura than anyone else. I had even hung out with Naruto once and a group of kids but I had steered clear of Sasuke completely. We kept it cordial but that was it.

"Sakura and I braided each other's hair." I said.

"Failing." Kyoske said.

"Shut up." I snapped.

"She hasn't spilled the beans about him or anything?" Hideki asked.

I shook my head. Sakura had proven that she barely knew Sasuke. Her crush on him was based on an idea. She was in love with the idea of him, this good-looking bad boy who was epically cool no matter what he was doing. She thought she knew him, which was the biggest problem.

"She just keeps apologizing for him." I said.

"Figures." Kyoske grumbled.

"How's it going with you and that Ino chick? What about the blackmail?" I asked.

Kyoske scoffed. "She's annoying. So blinded by her crush on Sasuke and her hatred for Sakura getting placed on the same team. It's literally all she talks about. Well, that and how boring her team is."

"The other squad is nothing to worry about. They're strong but not…not really there. They're further outside than the Yamanaka squad." Hideki said.

"As for the blackmail, it's a waste of time." Kyoske said. "No one knows anything about the Sound."

"It's so new all that's out there is stuff that talks about it's newness." Hideki sighed.

I nodded. "So, we have nothing."

"Any word on Megumi-sensei?" Kyoske asked. We hadn't seen much of her in the past week. She was always rushing off to meet a friend or intel and she'd be tight-lipped when she came back.

"Still asking Jonin what they know I guess." I offered.

"So really nothing." Kyoske groaned.

My fear came whenever Priestess Akane asked for an update. We had nothing and I was afraid she'd think we were just wasting time. I let out a small sigh when something caught my eye on top of a hill. It looked like a group of kids a second away from brawling. I recognized the orange jumpsuit and pink hair. I also recognized the black body suit and metal fan.

"Wait a second." I breathed. We stopped walking and the boy's followed my gaze.

"Is that Naruto?" Kyoske asked. "Who are they talking to?"

"Wait…is that…is that?" Hideki squinted his eyes.

"Temari and Kankuro." I said.

"Don't tell me their entering the exams too." Kyoske groaned.

"Things look serious." I said. And looked back at the boys. "We have to help them."

They nodded and raced up the hill, making it just time to see Kankuro holding his wrist, his teeth clenched. All eyes were looking up at the tree where Sasuke stood upside down with a fistful of pebbles on one side and Gaara stood matching his stance on the other.

"Naruto!" I called.

Eyes shifted to us and Naruto smiled.

"Miyuki." He greeted.

"Well, well, well look who we have here." Kankuro snickered.

"I could say the same about you fools." Kyoske grinned.

"Wait, you know each other?" Sakura asked.

"We go way back." Temari said, stepping forward. "Miyuki darling, you seem on edge."

"What were you doing to them?" I asked, which made Kankuro snicker again.

"What did we do? We were teaching these fools a lesson until—"

"They ended up making fools of themselves." Gaara called from above, making Kankuro flinch.

"Why do I believe that?" Kyoske laughed.

"Shut up Kyoske." Temari said.

"Ga—" I began but was cut off when he burst into a sand and reappeared a few feet away from us.

"We were just leaving." He said before turning to face the startled Leaf shinobi, well all except for Sasuke who was still in the tree, his eyes narrowed not only at Gaara but us.

"I'm sorry for any harm that Kankuro caused." Gaara said, his eyes dead, his voice numb.

"Hey wait! Hold on! I can tell by your headbands that you're from the sand Village. I know that we're allies but we're also not allowed into each other's village without permission. So…" Sakura's back straightened, her shoulder squared as she attempted to look unintimidated. "State your purpose."

Temari burst out laughing and Kankuro rolled his eyes.

"These losers are hopeless." He sighed.

"Score for you, pinky." Temari laughed.

"Why are you asking us and not these fools over here too?" Kankuro asked, pointing a finger over at us.

"What about us?" Kyoske snapped.

"They're here on vacation!" Naruto said.

"Vacation?!" Kankuro laughed.

"Oh man that's good." Temari laughed before turning to face me. "Is that the best you three could come up with? Were you in a rush or something?"

"Wha-what are you talking about?" Sakura asked, her eyes darting between us.

"Better yet, what kind of a rock do you live under?" Temari asked fixing a look on the Naruto and Sakura.

"Huh?" Naruto asked.

"We have permission." Temari said and held up her stamped passport. "Yes, we are Genin from the Village Hidden by Sand and unlike these fools, we're not here for vacation."

"We're here for the Chunin Exams." Kankuro laughed.

"Chew what?" Naruto repeated, looking lost.

Temari laughed again. "You guys really are stupid."

"Boss, The Chunin Exams are what every Genin needs to take in order to become a Chunin, a whole new level of ninja." Konohomoru, one of Naruto's little Academy friends.

"Huh? Oh I knew that." Naruto said with a sigh.

"Sure you did kid." Kankuro said with a wave of his hand. Then he fixed a spiteful look on us. "But on a better note, vacation? Really?"

"What are they talking about? Sakura demanded, looking straight at me.

"We're not here on vacation, big deal." Hideki said.

"And you come up with a weak excuse like that?" Temari tsked. "So unlike you, Miyu."

I smirked. "Yeah well it's unlike you two to resort to bullying innocent kids."

"Touché." Temari said with a wink. With that, they started walking again until Sasuke jumped down from the tree, landing soundlessly in front of all of us.

"Hey you! Identify yourself." Sasuke called.

Temari stopped walking and turned around first. "Me?" she asked, seeming impressed.

"No. You, the one with the gourd on his back."

Temari's playful smirk faded and Kankuro stopped walking right before Gaara did. Slowly, he turned back around, his arms folded his eyes just as dead as I had always remembered.

"I am Gaara. Gaara of the Desert." His jaw tightened. "I'm curious about you too. What's your name?"

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke said with a ghost of a dark smile on his lips.

"Great." Kyoske whispered.

"Hey I bet you're dying to know my name too, huh?" Naruto called, waving a hand in the air.

Gaara turned around. "I couldn't care less."

"Grr! Everyone always wants to know Sasuke." Naruto said, dropping to his knees.

"It's okay boss." Konohomaru said, patting a comforting hand on Naruto's shoulder.

The Sand Genin walked away when Sasuke turned to glare at us.

"How do you three know them?" he demanded.

Kyoske sighed.

"We've gone on missions with them in the past." Hideki said, barely touching the surface. Our ties with Gaara and his squad went far deeper than that, but it was a nice overview.

"You're not here for vacation? So that was a lie?" Sakura asked, confused and still hung up on that. She seemed hurt and I offered her a small smile.

"We only lied because it was clear you didn't know about the exams." I said.

"Is this another way of keeping us away from things we can't handle?" Sasuke asked.

I glared at him.

"It's about minding your own business." Kyoske said. "We tell you about the Chunin Exams and we're doing your sensei's job for you. If you don't know about it, that means you're not in the exams, enough said."

"How did you get tangled with the Sand ninja?" Hideki asked.

"Huh? They were picking on my friends." Naruto said.

"Sounds just like them." Kyoske said. "I can see Kankuro getting all bothered."

"You were smart not to engage with them." Hideki said. "They are strong shinobi, one of the strongest that the Sand has to offer."

"They're not as strong as us though." Kyoske said with a wink.

"We almost did." Naruto said. "No one picks on my friend and gets away with it. Believe it!"

"I _believe_ that if you kept talking like that you would've gotten you and your little friends killed." Kyoske said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sasuke asked.

"Gaara doesn't play games." I said. "Neither does his team. If you angered any of them enough they would fight you and you would lose because you're not used to the power they can ditch out."

"You mean I'm supposed to be scared of that freak with no eyebrows, clown face and clover-head girl?" Naruto scoffed. "They didn't look so tough."

"Naruto!" Sakura growled.

"Trust the people that have seen it kid." Kyoske said.

"What else do you know about him?" Sasuke asked.

"Huh?" Kyoske asked.

"Gaara." Sasuke glowered.

I could see it then, the spark of interest flaring in his eyes. I had expected something to click between them and I was sure that Gaara felt the same way. They both had that same look in their eyes, that same deadly stare that could melt ice and heat through steel. They were quiet and resentful and capable of anything. Other than Naruto, Gaara was the sand's Jinchūriki, the holder of the one-tailed demon beast and the things he could do with that power, that power coursing through his veins…I had seen it and it was always enough to make my stomach turn, but when compared to all that we had done…

I looked away from Sasuke, forcing away the thoughts of what we were capable of from my mind.

"We'll tell you everything we know." Hideki said. "But it won't do you three any good."

"Why not?" Sakura asked.

"You're not taking the exams and they start in a few days." Hideki said.

"Well how do we sign up for them?" Naruto asked. "I want to take the Chunin Exams."

"You can't sign-up for them, Naruto." I said. "Your sensei has to be the one to do that."

"Which only happens if he feels you're ready for it." Kyoske said. "Which…considering that he hasn't told you, you're not."

Naruto looked at his hands, Sakura frowned and Sasuke balled his hands into tight fists at his sides.

"Don't worry though." Kyoske said. "There's always next time."

"In another three years."

"Wha-what?!" Naruto screeched. "We have to wait three years to get another chance?!"

I nodded. "Until then you can watch us fight. Everything will be live when the finals roll around."

"That's so unfair!" Naruto protested.

"Hey, blame your sensei." Hideki said.

"Is it too late to convince Kakashi-sensei to sign us up?" Sakura asked.

"There's still time." I assured them.

"Then we'll convince him to sign us up!" Naruto said. "We'll take that exam and become Chunin!"

"You make it sound so easy." Kyoske said.

"We should go." Hideki said.

"You said you were going to tell me more about Gaara." Sasuke snapped. "Now you're running away."

"We have other things to do, like prepare for the exam." Hideki said. "We can talk to you after the first round is done. For now, just focus on staying out of trouble."

Hideki started walking back down the hill and after exchanging a look, Kyoske and I followed after him until Sasuke grabbed my arm.

"Hey what the—" I said and was cut off by the look in his eye, a dark one that made my words get caught in my throat. He had been subtle about it, turning his body so that he blocked his hold in me while everyone else was oblivious behind us, Sakura scolding Naruto on being an idiot and Naruto insisting he wasn't.

"You lied again." He growled.

"What's your problem?" I growled right back. "We lied, so what? Big deal. Sue us."

"Tell me about Gaara."

"Not with that attitude." I pulled at my arm. "Now let me go."

He released me, but never freed me from his hard glare.

"What?" I snapped.

"You owe me an explanation." He said. I glared at him, feeling his words and glare getting the better of me. There was only so much of this kid that I could take and already he was pushing me to my limit. I had expected him to be easier to stand, not filled with so much attitude. Any other guy would be softer with me, any other guy would've began eating out of my palms, but no this Uchiha just had to be different.

"I don't owe you anything, Uchiha. Get that through your head." I said.

His eyes grew even darker, as hard as it was to believe.

"But, I'll humor you. You want to know more about Gaara? We'll meet up tonight and talk about it but not on your terms, on mine."

Before he could say another word, I stepped away from him in case he grabbed me again and flipped the stray piece of my hair that had broken away from my braid and shot him a look that I prayed came off as confident.

"We'll be in touch." I said and started after my teammates who had noticed my absence and were turning just in time to see me running away from Sasuke.

"What was that about?" Kyoske asked when I was close.

"We have better things to worry about." I said. "Where are they?"

"Not sure but if they're here it can't be for the exams." Hideki said. "They're a lot like us that way."

"Now I know where we get it from." I said. "Let's go and get this over with."


	6. Chapter 6: Sand Vs Water!

**Chapter 6:**

We found the Sand Genin in the local park, sitting by a statue. Gaara was sitting cross legged on the ground, sand moving in small waves underneath him, as if he was some sort of vibrating music box or an incoming wind. Kankuro was busy adjusting the bindings around his mummy puppet, Crow while Temari was busy giving herself a manicure.

"Alright, you three start talking." Kyoske said.

Kankuro was the only one who looked up at us and he scoffed.

"Well aren't we flattered that you're taking time out of your _vacation_ to visit us." Kankuro snickered.

Kyoske glared at him. "Alright enough with that. You know as well as we do how big of a lie that is."

"So you are here for the exam?" Temari asked, feigning shock.

"Why are you three here?" Hideki asked.

"To become Chunin." Gaara said, his eyes closed now.

"I don't buy that." I said. Gaara looked at me, the vibrating sand beneath him stilling.

"Why are you three here?" Gaara countered.

" _We're_ here to become Chunin, _you_ three are here to find and cause trouble so spill before we beat it out of you." Kyoske growled.

"Kyoske…always so annoying I could squeeze the life out of you." Gaara growled darkly.

"You guys being here for the exams are as big a joke as us being here for the exams so why don't you spill first." Kankuro said. "We'll tell you if you tell us."

"Or we don't say anything and just follow you three around." Hideki said.

"And annoy us like the rabid flies that you are?" Gaara growled. "I'll kill you before we even begin fighting."

"Why did you pick on those Leaf shinobi?" I asked.

"Because they need to learn to keep their mouths shut." Kankuro said. "I was merely going to teach them a lesson."

"Why do you care? Is this about that boy?" Gaara asked.

"A boy? Does my little Miyu have a crush?" Temari squealed. "Which one is it? Please have some taste and choose that dark haired one."

"It's probably the loud mouthed one." Kankuro said.

"They're my friends." I said.

Gaara stood up and I watched Kankuro stiffen and an uneasy look cross over Temari's face. The boys tensed beside me and I swore I saw Kyoske's hand inch closer to his weapons pouch.

"Stay away from that boy." Gaara aid, his eyes dark.

"You're not my father." I said.

"Don't you see the darkness inside of him?" Gaara asked. "The hatred burning in his eyes?"

"Reminds you of someone doesn't it?" Kyoske asked, his voice sarcastic.

"You act like I'm going to marry the kid." I said.

"He's toxic." Gaara said, his voice huskier and he shot Kyoske a look. "And yes it takes one to know one."

"I can handle myself, but I'm flattered by your worrying." I said, placing a hand over my chest.

"You're going to be foolish." Gaara said. "You're going to meddle with him anyway even though I'm telling you he's bad news."

"She's a strong girl, Gaara." Hideki said. "She can handle herself, as she mentioned already.

"She's naïve." Gaara said. "Innocent."

"Are you gonna tell us why you're here or not?" I asked.

"Or are you three gonna just sit around and test us?" Kyoske asked.

"Oh why are you being so offensive and touchy?" Temari asked as she stretched. "We're all friends here, aren't we?"

"Friends is pushing it after the crap you people pulled." Kyoske growled.

"What's that supposed to mean, Kyoske?" Kankuro growled.

"You know." Kyoske snapped and they turned to glare at each other.

"We did what you three were too cowardly to do yourselves." Kankuro snapped.

"You sabotaged the entire mission." Hideki said.

"I didn't hear you complain before it was done only after." Temari said.

"Shut up Temari." Kyoske called.

"Don't speak to her that way." Gaara snapped. His eyes never left my face but I could see the agitation in his eyes.

"You have a problem with us, Kyoske?" Kankuro asked, rising to his feet, the Crow's hair clenched in his fist. "Let's do something about it."

"Kyoske." I said, my voice full of warning. I didn't look at him, I let my voice do the talking. I continued to stare down Gaara and felt Hideki shift at my side.

"This is a crowded place." Hideki warned. "Calm down."

"We can go somewhere else if it makes you feel any better." Kankuro called.

"No good holding these things in, Hideki." Temari called. "Either we face this head on or he'll explode."

Kyoske's hands balled into tight fists at his sides and he stepped away from us, stopping a few feet away from Kankuro.

"Kyoske." Hideki said, his voice full of authority. "That's enough."

"I'm mad enough to punch you." Kyoske growled.

"Then come over here and try it." Kankuro said, egging him on.

I was turning to look at Kyoske and tell him to stop when suddenly my feet felt stuck. I looked down only to see the sand from Gaara's gourd at my feet, holding me in place. I turned back to glare at him.

"We're not done." Gaara said.

"That's enough." Hideki said. "Everyone needs to calm down."

"Oh Hideki! You're such a bore! Such a referee! Let the kids have their fun." Temari called.

"Come at me with your best shot." Kankuro said and pointed a thumb to his chest. "I'm waiting for it."

"Kyoske, there are people around." Hideki called.

"They'll move." Kankuro snickered.

"Kyoske…don't please." I begged.

"Too late." Kyoske growled and pulled out a kunai. He was charging for Kankuro and just as Hideki was going to jump in after him, Temari sent a kunai to his feet, stopping him.

"Let the boys talk it over." She said.

"I'll show you something to talk about!" Kyoske was getting ready to swing when the Crow jumped free of it's bindings and appeared just in time to block Kyoske's attack. It was a close call, a risk on Kankuro's part. He was a puppeteer, a long range battler and Kyoske's attack had been meant to be close range. I narrowed my eyes as I realized Kankuro had gotten stronger since the last time we had seen him.

"That the best you got?" Kankuro chuckled. "Then this will be easy."

Kyoske jumped off of the Crow and the puppet's mouth rattled, sounding like heavy, wooden wind chimes. Kyoske landed and immediately began making hand signs.

"Wind." Temari growled, her eyes narrow.

"Kyoske that's enough!" Hideki shouted.

"Wind Release!" Kyoske shouted as he jumped into the air and took a big breath. "Vacuum Wave!" He began spinning and the wind picked up around until it all shot forward as one big force. It headed straight for Kankuro who snickered as Crow released several smoke bombs, and disappeared just as the attack landed. The minute the attack hit the ground a powerful wind picked up and Temari struggled to stay steady. If Gaara hadn't been holding me in place, I had no doubt I'd be knocked off my feet and as for Hideki, he went sliding back, dropping to his knees.

"That the best you've got?" Kankuro's voice echoed throughout the small clearing.

Crow's rattling came from above and Kyoske looked up just in time to see it release a few poison bombs. Kyoske took out his sword from his sheath and sliced at the bombs, their toxins dripping to the grass below.

Kyoske landed but not before the Crow came swooping downward, a blade drawn. They swiped at each other, Kyoske dodging expertly until Crow's knuckles brandished more knives.

"Gaara, stop him." I said.

Gaara looked at me. "Stay away from the boy."

Kyoske pushed away from the Crow, using his sword to block all the incoming knives that were sent in his direction. He began making hand signs and held up his hand, chakra flowing to his fingertips.

"Blade of Wind!" He shouted just as the Crow fired off a whole array of senbon at Kyoske.

"Kyoske!" Hideki shouted.

The chakra at his fingertips sent slash after slash of razor sharp blades of wind at the Crow. The minute they hit the senbon not only did it throw off their aim but it sent the senbon raining down in different directions. I flinched, my eyes locked on a few senbon heading straight for us until a wall of impenetrable sand from Gaara's gourd shot up and blocked the attack. I looked over to find Temari shielded by the same wall.

"I'm not a little kid." I snapped at him.

"Would you have rather the senbon strike you?" Gaara asked as the sand wall began to collapse.

Kyoske landed, his sword drawn at the same time the Crow did, rattling mouth and all.

"You still fight behind those toys of yours?" Kyoske panted.

"Until you can hit me, don't talk." Kankuro said, jumping back down to the clearing. Crow floated in front of him and rattled its mouth at Kyoske.

"I swear you know just what to say to piss me off." Kyoske growled.

"I could say the same about you." Kankuro said. Crow fired off another set of senbon and this time threw a couple kunai in as well. Kyoske was making hand signs again and when the swarming set of weapons were a good distance away, he exhaled a fireball.

The searing ball of inferno went straight into the weapons and the sheer force of them forced them to clatter to the ground. The fireball continued forward, heading straight for Kankuro and Crow until they jumped out of the way.

"You're such an idiot it seriously hurts." Hideki called out.

"Come out and fight me!" Kyoske shouted into the setting sky.

"Be careful what you wish for." Kankuro chuckled and Crow shot out from a top a tree, breaking apart to reveal sharp sets of knives. Kankuro drew his sword and was busy dispelling each knife when one whizzed past him, cutting his cheek. He cried out, a hand slapping against his wound as he jumped back.

"Caught you." Kankuro laughed. "All that talk and for what?"

"Go to hell!" Kyoske shouted, drawing his sword once more. He started running toward Kankuro who laughed.

"Gaara!" I shouted and was shocked when this time, he released me from his hold but by the time I looked back at Kyoske, it was already too late. Invisible threads shot out and wrapped around Kyoske suddenly and he slammed onto the ground with a grunt.

"That's enough." Megumi-sensei's voice cut into the clearing and we all turned to face her. Baki, Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro's team leader stood beside her, his arms folded, his expression angry.

"What part of keep a low profile do you three idiots not understand?" Megumi-sensei called, the strings binding Kyoske clenched tightly in her fist.

"Save it for the exams." Baki called. "All of you."

Megumi-sensei walked over to me and looked between Gaara and I.

"What's this about?" She asked, her voice low.

"Kankuro was challenging Kyoske." I muttered. "He reacted."

"Clearly." Megumi-sensei sighed. "Baki, what do you suggest we do?"

"They both have rather big mouths." Baki said.

"I think it was one of mine this time." Megumi-sensei, fixing a dark look on Kyoske.

"They challenged each other." Hideki said.

"And you did nothing to stop him?" Megumi-sensei asked.

"Not without the others interfering." Hideki said.

"Is that so?" Baki asked.

"We were just leaving." Gaara said, earning a look from Baki.

"I would hope so." Megumi-sensei said dryly.

"Let's go." Baki said and after shooting Gaara one last look, the four of them disappeared into the night, leaving us in the middle of the empty park.

"Who wants to do the honors and explain what just happened?" Megumi-sensei asked.

"Those Sand brats started it!" Kyoske shouted

Megumi-sensei lifted a hand. "Anyone other than Kyoske."

"They're here for the exams." Hideki said. "We confronted them because we were suspicious."

"And who gave you the order to do that?" Megumi-sensei snapped.

"No one." Hideki said. "It was an impulse…a reckless impulse but we wanted answers."

"Selfish." Megumi-sensei snapped.

"It was but we had to, Sensei. We can't trust them you know that." I said.

Megumi-sensei glared back at me. "You of all people know what that boy is capable of. He is an unstable Jinchūriki who can kill you all if he so wishes it."

"We know but—"

"Instead of putting our mission first and focusing on what's at stake you three put everything on the line to pick a fight with Genin over something that happened years ago." Megumi-sensei shook her head. "Unacceptable."

"But Sensei-"

"I've heard enough." She said before cutting the wires at her hands. "I will worry about the Sand Genin. You stay focused on why we're here and find me some damn information I can actually use!"

She disappeared then, leaving us in the darkening field and feeling like we had all been slapped in the face. We stayed in our spots for a long time, so long that it was dark by the time Hideki stepped forward, heading for Kyoske who was still lying in the grass.

"I'm surprised you didn't try to free yourself." Hideki said, pulling a kunai from his pouch to cut off the wire.

"He paralyzed me." Hideki said. "That's what those weapons were dripped in."

"Figures." Hideki said. "Now we have to carry you home."

"You do." I said, shaking my head. "I have to go and see Sasuke."

Hideki looked back at me. "Why?"

"We had a deal." I said. "I'll be back soon."

"Great." Kyoske muttered, glaring out into the night.

"Make sure you get something out of him, anything." Hideki said.

"I'll try." I said with a small smile.


	7. Chapter 7:The Story Unfolds!

Chapter 7:

"Talk."

I had just turned into the side street when Sasuke's voice spoke from above. I froze mid-step and slowly looked up, catching sight of him perched on top of the wall, his arms folded, his eyes matching the sky above.

I looked away, feeling drained. I had thought about blowing him off, about pretending to forget but what was stopping him from showing up at our doorstep and who knew what he would hear.

I walked to where he was sitting and sat underneath him, my legs stretching out onto the sidewalk, my body relaxing. He stayed put for a few moments, moments I relished as I pieced together exactly what I wanted to say to him. There was no harm in telling him what had happened, the reason why we knew the Sand Genin so well and I prayed that instead of piquing his interest, Sasuke would get the memo that staying away was in his best interest.

Then again just thinking about Gaara and the rest of them made me think about their true purpose in Konoha. It would be unlike them to team up with Orochimaru but I knew them well enough to not care much either. We knew the Sand wasn't everything they were made out to be and they were as much of a threat to the Leaf than they were allies.

"Hey." Sasuke said.

I looked to where his voice drifted from and found that he had jumped off his spot on the wall and was now standing in front of me.

I took a breath. "Only if you tell me a few things too."

"What do you want to know?" He asked before easing down beside me.

I hugged my knees to my chest and looked at the ground, my mind racing. What did I want to know? I had to get him to trust me, but to do that I had to have a good idea of how to do it. So far Sasuke had proven to be a complete mystery to me and the more we spoke the bigger that mystery grew.

"How did your sensei get the Sharingan?" I asked.

Sasuke didn't say anything at first and it was only when I was turning my head to shoot him a glance that he exhaled and answer.

"I don't know."

"You know that the Sharingan is an exclusive Dojutsu for your clan, right?" I asked.

"I'm aware." Sasuke said, hisi voice dryly. "Thanks for the reminder."

I turned to shoot him a glare. "So you never thought to get to the bottom of how he got the technique?"

"I had better things to worry about." Sasuke said and folded his arms. "Besides, it's not too hard to figure out with that scar running down his eye."

I arched an eyebrow, my glare fading. "What do you mean?"

"It had to have been given to him, implanted in his eye or something. He's not an Uchiha, he's far from it."

I nodded and looked down at my feet.

"My turn." Sasuke said. "Tell me."

I closed my eyes. "It's a long story."

"Make sure to skip to all the important parts." Sasuke said. "I don't plan on staying here all night."

"Like Hideki said, we've had many missions with them. You get to know people that way, really get a sense of what they're about. We knew the Sand Genin were good. They were known for their brutality, especially Gaara. He was ruthless, is ruthless." I hugged my legs tighter.

"Our mission was about as simple as it was with Gato. We had to gather evidence that a village was planning on starting a war within the Land of Water. We were paired up with the Sand Genin and we went to the village, posing as visitors. Of course with a face like Gaara's, a few people caught on, didn't believe we were who we said we were."

"Once a fight broke out, I knew we were in trouble and we needed to get that information fast. We had to do whatever it took to find at least a shred of proof. We found it, a secret hideout near the center of the village. We infiltrated and were fighting for our lives when we realized the conspiracy didn't stem from the hideout. It stemmed from the whole village. Everyone was in the know and everyone was against us. Innocent people…children…"

I squeezed my eyes shut and felt a familiar wetness light my eyes. I titled my head back to keep the tears from falling, knowing how it would look in Sasuke's eyes if he saw me cry especially after the last time tears spilled down my cheeks.

"We had to do something, we knew it. We wouldn't be able to leave the village if we didn't. We wouldn't have escaped if Gaara hadn't lost it with our hysteria. On a certain level, I always say it was our fault for panicking, for making our blood levels rise, for freaking out. It caused him to react. He's so emotional."

"What happened?" Sasuke's voice cut in and my eyes snapped open, the tears spilling from the sides of my eyes.

I quickly swiped at them, rubbing them against my cheeks, struggling to rub it all away but the memory came in full force.

We had been yelling at each other, struggling to figure out what to do next. We had been running out of time when Gaara stood up and faced the impending crowd, his head lowered, his hands in fists at his side. We hadn't expected it and even Temari and Kankuro had forgotten what he was capable of for a split second but the moment they saw him standing there, the moment they saw his gourd quake, they remembered.

"He killed them." I said. "He killed everyone and…and…he made the sky cry blood."

Sasuke stiffened slightly and the tears came down harder as I remembered the screams and cries for help and the spine-tingling sound of bones snapping in half. Then the feel of the blood coming down, sliding down my arms, mixing in my hair, dripping into my mouth…

"On some level we knew we had to…we didn't have another choice but we…but we were scared. We weren't monsters. Only monsters would do something like that." I sniffed. "But we were the monsters for driving him there, for pushing him to that point. If we had calmed down, if we had just done what we had to do he wouldn't have killed them that way. There would have been bodies to bury, there would have been survivors."

Sasuke was silent and I could feel his eyes on me as I sobbed, feeling the weight of my guilt weighing heavy in my chest. He let me let it all out, waited patiently as I sobbed into my knees, wiped my eyes and sobbed some more.

Sure what Gaara had done barely scratched the surface of the things I had done and was capable of, but it didn't make it any less my fault. I composed myself a few minutes later and managed to successfully wipe the tears from my eyes. I sniffed and looked over at Sasuke who had his knee bent, his arm balanced on top of his kneecap.

"So he killed them all." Sasuke said.

I nodded.

"But he could've stopped himself." Sasuke said.

"No." I said. "Gaara is a Jinchūriki, a holder of one of the tailed beasts. He's often possessed by it, driven to do what it wants and the sand, the sand from his gourd is an extension of the beast. If Gaara gets too worked up, if those around him panic too much, the beast can sense it all and it takes over."

"Does he remember?" Sasuke asked.

I shrugged. "We don't talk about it. We were all so stunned, so shocked. We had all seen Gaara be merciless before but it was different that time. My team and I had no idea he was that powerful and his team had been shocked that the power had reacted to that extent."

"What happened after?" Sasuke asked.

"ANBU found us all days later, Gaara had passed out from the sheer overwhelming force of it all but the rest of us were so shaken, we could barely move or form words. We've been through a lot, my team, and it brought up memories we'd all rather have kept buried. Gaara had wiped out the entire village, a village that was barely on maps and now…now it's not on any maps."

Sasuke nodded, not in a way that said he understood but in a way that hinted he believed me. I was grateful for it and I unfolded my legs, letting them stretch out in front of as I sniffed again.

I looked at him. "He's powerful, Sasuke."

Sasuke looked at me.

"He's a force to stay away from, a force you'd better pray you don't ever have to come up against. No one survives a fight with Gaara and if they do, they're never the same again." I said.

"You saying that doesn't change my mind." Sasuke said.

"Sasuke—"

"I've made up my mind." Sasuke cut me off. "I'm an avenger. If I can't face my demons, if I can't face someone like Gaara, how can I expect to get revenge?"

"Revenge?" I breathed. "Revenge for what?"

Sasuke looked away from me, his eyes turning darker.

"I want to avenge my clan."

 _The Uchiha massacre_ , I realized. _He's talking about the Uchiha massacre_. I had heard about the powerful Uchiha clan in my many history classes but the story was always the same. Clan dead. Lone survivor. That was all that was ever written between pages and pages of Uchiha clan history, a small blurb about their death, about their fall.

"How do you plan on doing that?" I asked.

"By becoming stronger." Sasuke said. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes."

I couldn't help but stare at him as I processed his words. _Revenge_. That was what he wanted and it was such a powerful word, with such powerful intentions behind it, I could feel it in my gut. He had all the reason in the world to seek revenge and I had to give him props for vowing to stick with it. I had never been a hateful person, that much was for certain and while I had every reason in the world to be upset with Orochimaru for everything he had done to me, for everything he had made me do, my hate simply wasn't strong enough. Every time I tried to hate him, I was struck with a memory of him treating me nicely, of him buying me popsicles and playing with me. I couldn't understand why the world held so much hatred for a man who in my head was like a father figure to me. He had promised to protect me and I had believed him and then there was Megumi-sensei telling me it had all been a lie. Telling me that that snake of a man had played me for my trust.

"Good for you." I said finally.

"What's the story behind what Zabuza said? What did he mean when he said your village was forgotten?"

I smirked and took a breath. I felt like we had climbed a big hurdle and everything that came now involved just cruising down the hill. I told him about my village, about our useless Daimyō who depended on us to do his dirty work, who had scolded us for tracking blood onto his perfectly clean floor after the Gaara mission. I told him about our beautiful village of castaways, a hidden gem in the middle of an ocean, surrounded by the thickest Genjutsu that only a select few knew how to dispel and just for a moment. I told him about Priestess Akane and how she defended us, wanted more for the village, wanted to be free from the Daimyō's reign.

He listened to all of it, studying the fire in my eyes, my smile, my expressions. He didn't interrupt me, just let me keep going until I ran out of steam a half hour later, my excitement dying down as exhaustion worked its way into my body.

"And how does Gato fit into all this?"

"He used our village. Because of how far we are from the other lands, even our own, we're the last to hear about things. A lot of bad people have shown up on our doorsteps, a lot of once great shinobi who turned rogue and sought refuge in our village. Refuge that we granted until we learned what was living amongst us but by then it was too late. We were made fools and were scolded by the Daimyō for being so silly."

"Our Daimyō doesn't usually get involved in political affairs but Gato had tried running a business in his land as well and when he found out he was doing the same to us, he wanted Gato to be dealt with." I explained. "It came down to us, ninja he didn't have to pay, ninja he could just snap his fingers at."

"Why do you do what he says?" Sasuke asked.

"Like I said before, my teammates and I aren't exactly the cleanest of people and while that might be partly due to the missions our Daimyō sends us on, it's not all him. We have to do what he says because he's allowed us to carry on, he's allowed our village to grow and prosper and have a history. He keeps us in the shadows, threatens anyone we love, and we do what he says because we don't have another choice. Yes, we could kill him but then someone even worse could take power and where would that put us? Back where we started."

I shrugged. "It's a useless fight."

Sasuke nodded and folded his arms across his chest. "I guess."

"Anything else?"

"Can't think of anything else." Sasuke said.

"Good."

"Anything else from you?" Sasuke asked.

I shrugged again. "Same as you. I'm all spent."

Silence passed between us for a few moments, but it was a peaceful silence, the kind that felt good, comfortable.

"We're going to be taking the Chunin Exams." Sasuke said. I looked at him and felt myself begin to smile.

"I'm sure Naruto is excited."

"Won't shut up about it more like it."

I giggled. "That's nice though."

"Not really." Sasuke muttered and I could hear the annoyance in his voice at the mere mention of Naruto.

"Aren't you two friends?" I asked suddenly. I had never thought about it before but I had never seen the two of them together. In fact, thinking back, they were always fighting with each other. Naruto treated Sasuke like competition and Sasuke saw him more like a waste of his time and energy.

"That's an insult." Sasuke said and rose to his feet. "Plus I don't need friends."

"Everyone needs friends." I said, earning a look from him.

"I'll be your friend." I offered. "Lucky for you I don't charge and I'm low maintenance."

"I wouldn't go around saying that everyone."

I blushed and he looked away.

"It's getting late." He said.

I nodded but the thought of going back home and facing Megumi-sensei's lecture made my stomach ache. I wasn't ready to hear her argue and I most certainly wasn't ready to pull excuses out of my butt either.

"I'm heading home." Sasuke said and started walking away when I jumped up.

"Wait." I called and he stopped walking, but kept his back to me.

I didn't have anything else left in me. I tried to think of lies, several lies, but none of them sounded right on my tongue. Plus, I could only imagine the look in his eye once I said one. We'd be right back where we started and I didn't want this feeling, this new emotion, this new burning feeling of what I assumed was trust to end.

"I'm-I'm not ready to go home yet." I managed.

He turned around to face me, his hands sliding into his pockets.

"You have something in mind?"

…

The last place I had expected was to end up at his front door. I hadn't known what to say when he asked what I wanted to do. I had merely blinked at him, which made his lips turn down at the edges. Then he had told me to get up. I had been nervous, walking behind him, so much so that it got the best of me and I found myself talking about nonsense, asking him useless questions about Konoha that he barely answered, but instead let me figure out and before I knew it we were at his front door.

He opened the door, revealing a darkened apartment lit only by the lights coming from his balcony and the stars above. He held the door open for me and I walked inside slowly, timidly, but then the view caught my eyes and my jaw dropped.

His room overlooked Konoha, catching the faces etched in stone at an angle. His apartment was built on a hill, not too high, but high enough that one could see the village stretch on for miles and if they squinted enough, the tops of the trees outlining it.

"This is…this is so beautiful." I breathed, walking straight to the view, pressing my hand against the sliding glass door. Of course the view was more than that too. It gave Konoha an almost magical vibe and I wondered for a brief moment how it looked when it snowed. I could imagine the tops of buildings covered in white, the strung city lanterns and light posts, giving off a dim glow. I was sure it would be just as breathtaking.

"It's alright." Sasuke said and I looked over only to blush with how close he was. He was standing a few inches away from me and stared out the window with unappreciative and uninterested eyes.

"You're insane." I said, earning a side look.

I looked back out at the city and smiled softly. "Imagine if there were fireworks…it would be even prettier."

He said nothing for a few moments. He just let me take in the view before he reached over for something between me and the glass, causing me to jump back, my muscles tense. He shot me a strange look before fidgeting with the door handle.

I looked away, heat rising to my cheeks as he opened the door and a cool breeze swept in. The night air felt crisp and the village smells from the restaurants down below drifted in, making my stomach rumble slightly. I stepped quickly out the door, onto the balcony, and walked straight to the railing, peering over to look down at the village.

"What about now?" He asked, his voice drifting up from the doorway.

I looked back at him, a smile spreading across my face. "It's even better."

He seemed a little taken aback by my words but I didn't dwell on it too long. I turned back to look down at the village, my eyes hypnotized by the lights and sounds below. In my village no one would be out at this time of night. Families would be settling down for dinner and though people seemed to be doing the same here, the streets had more life on them than I had ever seen. I imagined Kyoske, Hideki and Megumi-sensei getting ready for dinner and felt my stomach tighten. I didn't like the fact that me walking through the door would start lectures and fights, but I missed the thought of us all sitting down together and just talking. There had been less of that ever since we had arrived in Konoha. Everyone was so busy going their separate ways, focusing on their focuses, that we rarely sat down and talked to each other.

"You thirsty?"

I jumped out of my thoughts and looked back at Sasuke, leaning against the railing. It took a minute of staring at him to realize that he was watching me, almost studying me and I wasn't sure for how long.

"Yes." I said, the heat from his stare making my throat dry suddenly or maybe it was the thought that he had been watching me and I couldn't sense what he was thinking. He was so empty, his expressions so bored that it made me feel silly for running to the window like some sort of bright-eyed five-year-old. I felt even worse knowing that I had followed him home while talking about nonsense and realized then that if he didn't think I was stupid, he most definitely thought I was something and judging by his eyes and his face, it wasn't anything good.

He nodded after another stretch of staring and slowly turned back into the apartment, leaving me alone on the balcony. I heard him moving around in the kitchen, cups clinking together distantly, pots being shifted around in the pantry. I looked down at my feet, counting seconds.

He was making tea. Sasuke Uchiha was standing by a stove making tea. The image in my head felt funny and I couldn't help but stifle a giggle as a brief image of him in an apron flashed in my mind.

"What's so funny?"

I coughed, nearly choking from the sheer shock of hearing his voice and looked up to find him leaning against the doorframe his hands in his pockets.

"Huh?"

His mouth twitched and he walked toward me, crossing his arms and resting them on the balcony ledge. I glanced back at him, watching the village lights reflect off of his face. I understood why every girl that so much as glanced at him walked away giggling and whispering and why Sakura always made a point to walk beside him, an attempt at showing ownership. I understood why she was defensive of him in general, always there to glare when someone so much as tried to call out to him or even better, flirt. Overall, Sasuke wasn't bad to look at. He was handsome and had this effortless ease to him where anything he did, like running a hand through his hair or swiping at his nose would make him look, what was the word? Cool?

I was looking away when his eyes darted back to look at me and luckily, I was able to look straight ahead before he caught me staring. The only issue was as soon as my eyes settled on something in the distance, my stomach growled, loudly.

There was an awkward silence at first. I was mortified, my cheeks reaching a whole new level of redness that became even worse when I looked up and found Sasuke staring at me. That only made my face grow even hotter.

"Are you hun—"

I lifted a hand. "Don't say it."

"That bad, huh?"

"I can…make something." I said.

"With what?"

"I'll drink the tea and go and buy something."

"At this time of night?"

"There's shops open."

"Do you even know what time it is?"

"I'm sure there's a 24/hour place." I said.

"You don't know what time it is." Sasuke sighed and then headed back into his apartment.

"I can make us something." I offered, following him, my hand on my stomach.

"Make what?" Sasuke asked, leading me to a kitchen that appeared nearly untouched. Everything was shiny and new and when I looked around his apartment I found it was also new and untouched. His bed was perfectly made, the things on his desk aligned perfectly. Either he had heavy OCD or he didn't live here.

I turned back to the kitchen, feeling his eyes digging holes into my flesh. I headed for the fridge and opened it and found my pickings to be extraordinarily small. A milk container, an orange, and a small plastic box filled with cherry tomatoes that looked freshly picked. I shut the fridge.

I moved over to the cabinet and found a loaf of bred, a few cans of tuna and a box of cereal that I knew lacked any sort of sweet flavor. But there was a small sack of rice enough to make rice balls with.

I looked at him and found him by the stove, carefully removing a pot of boiling water from on top. He carried it over to where two cups were and began pouring the water carefully, expertly, not wasting a single drop of water.

"Do you eat? Like at all?"

His hand quivered and a single drop of water plopped out of the pot and landed on the counter. He shot me a look.

"I can make rice balls." I offered. "Since all you have to stuff them with is that tuna in there, I hope you like that at least."

"You cook?" It struck me, the light surprise in his voice and it took everything in me to stay focused on getting the rice balls ready.

"I cook all the time. The boys love my cooking." I said, trying to bring a smile onto my face.

"Still wouldn't lead with that." Sasuke said and it took me a moment to get it but when I did my face got hot again.

"I meant my _teammates_." I said as he slid a tea cup down the counter to me. I glanced down at it, at the tea leaves nestled at the bottom.

"Hmph…" Was his only answer.

I began making the rice balls, which considering what I had to work with were meager at best, I was able to season everything and about an hour later, I was done.

"All done." I smiled and brought them over to where Sasuke had seated to watch me work. He was taking a sip of his tea when I turned around with the finished product and he eyed them suspiciously at first.

"I'm not going to poison you." I said.

"Doesn't make me feel better." Sasuke said as I set the rice balls down in front of him.

I glared. "You don't have to eat anything. I'll eat them all by myself."

I reached for one and immediately bit into it, making a big show of chewing before swallowing. I motioned to myself a few seconds later. "See? Not dead."

"Still not helping." Sasuke sighed, putting his tea cup down.

I rolled my eyes and finished up my rice ball before reaching for another. My tea was lukewarm as I sipped it, but that was fine. It was how I liked it anyway, not too hot but not too cold. It was green tea and though it was bitter, it didn't taste too bad with the rice ball.

"So, what did you first think about your Sensei?" I asked, between chews.

Sasuke looked at the rice balls.

"That he was a joke." He answered.

"Why?"

"He just looked like a clown. I didn't want to believe he could be a Jonin."

"You still think of him that way?"

"After Zabuza…no." Sasuke said, his hand lifting. "I think he's strong, not great, just strong. Better than what I thought he was that's for sure."

I nodded as his hands closed in on a rice ball and I felt my nerves burst in my belly. I was waiting for him to taste it and give me his opinion and I found myself wanting him to like it, as if his opinion mattered to me.

"What about you?" Sasuke asked, holding a rice ball in the palm of his hand.

I thought back to when I had first met Megumi-sensei. I remembered after everything, after she had pulled me from the rubble of the hide out, we had gone back to the Village and she had been labelled a hero. She was known as the woman who had taken out one of Orochimaru's hide outs, one of the only shinobi alive who had not only exposed the building for what it really was, but had saved at least a hundred lives, freed people who had been missing and forced into Orochimaru's experiments. I had been unable to stop staring at her, my mind slow and sleepy. For days after, as I was in the hospital recovering from malnourishment, she visited me, stayed by my side through my screaming nightmares, through my anger. She offered me kind words and delivered cold hard facts. She would fix me with a hard look and would remind me of what I had done, but also made sure to remind me that none of it was my fault. She never wanted me to blame myself because no matter what anyone said, she didn't want me to think of myself as a monster.

"It was hard at first." I said. "Megumi-sensei moved through the ranks fairly quickly. She's the youngest Jonin in our village, but she's the fastest learner. She was a Genin for a month before she became Chunin and it was all uphill from there. She even had a stint with ANBU for a couple of weeks."

Sasuke didn't seem impressed but then again I didn't expect him too. I was on my third rice ball when I remembered standing in Megumi-sensei's apartment one day and eyeing the trunk by her sleeping mat. She had opened it and revealed all the treasures inside, old outfits from her training days, old dresses from her days lounging in Priestess Akane's vast, palace-like house. Elaborate dresses in all different colors and patterns had been traded in for a pair of cut-out Jonin pants and a fishnet, cut-out shirt. Sexy yet deadly was what Megumi-sensei went for and most men knew better than to touch her. For those that forgot, she always had little to no problem breaking an arm or two, or whatever body part she was closest too actually.

Sasuke bit into the rice ball then and it was so sudden, I had been thrown off guard, half-torn between the past and the fact that he was biting into, no chewing…no _swallowing_ the rice ball!

He finished it quickly, not seeming to particularly savor it, just moving through it as if it were anything. Like the most boring of foods. Like he was eating mashed potatoes, or chips, or dirt. I waited a few moments later, searching his eyes for something but he just stared back into mine, his eyes unshifting, unmoving. Nothing. He had given me nothing.

"Seriously?" I spat, slamming my tea cup onto the counter, unable to bite down my sudden flare of rage.

He arched an eyebrow.

"Nothing? Did you like it? You eat it and you don't say anything to me? What's that about?"

"What do you want me to say?" Sasuke asked, agitation at his forehead.

I threw up my hands. "A simple 'It was good' or 'It was decent' would do."

Sasuke stared at me and then looked down at the plate of rice balls, his expression unimpressed. He looked back at me, studying my agitation and eased back in his stool, his arms folded over his chest.

"Well?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips.

There was a moment of silence, just the two of us staring the other down until finally, he took a breath and said:

"Well I didn't die."


	8. Chapter 8: The Past Slips Out!

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Be sure to comment!**

 **Chapter 8:**

The world is dark.

It was the first thing I had realized when I opened my eyes except, the words sounded unfamiliar, unlike me until I realized they had been echoed in my head. They were words I had been told before, but whether it had been days or years ago I couldn't say. I just knew there was a voice in my head saying the words over and over again and I couldn't see what was in front of me. The darkness around me stretched on for miles, and the longer I was surrounded by it, the more the panic set in, the deeper and darker the voice in my head grew and the heavier my breaths became.

I wanted out. I wanted out of this darkness, this darkness that felt like some inescapable prison, like a small box that I was trapped in. I tried to run through the darkness, my panic rising. Hot tears lit my eyes, but the more I ran, the more closed off I felt, the more I felt like I wasn't moving at all. I was just struggling, fighting with myself,

Then I heard it, a new voice in my head, faded and coming from somewhere behind me. a small voice, a whiney voice and a voice that made me stop in my tracks, my blood run cold and my heart drop. It had been so long, so, so long and suddenly the voice was all I could think about. My heart clenched and I dropped to my knees, hot tears streaming down my face as the voice came closer, sounding like it was running due to the space between the words.

"Onesan! Onesan!" Her voice was like sweet candy in my head and just hearing her it conjured the memory of her, of her sticky fingers rising to my face, brushing over my tears and her tangled hair rubbing against my bare arms. Her small frame wiggling around, a light giggle in her voice, like she was playing, always playing, always smiling, and always happy.

"Miyuki!" She had shouted my name desperately from deep within the confines of our house that night and I remembered the sick, icy feeling that came with it, that came from hearing the fear in her voice, the worry. I had run with everything I had, run to find her.

"Miyuki!" She had said my name perfectly then, reminding me of all the times she had barely been able to. But, it was different now, her tone serious, the most serious than I had ever heard her. I remembered bursting into the room, feeling her body run into mine, feeling her tremble in my arms.

"Miyuki!"

But what I remembered more was the feeling of her blood covering my skin, a splash of quick warmth turned heavy. The feeling of it dripping down my face, the sight of it on my clothes, on my skin, on my hands. The feeling of my life falling to shambles around me, the smell of smoke from somewhere behind me, of my house burning to the ground. Then there was the rising hysteria mixing with the sickening feeling in my stomach, as I felt the emotion rise in my chest until it felt like it was going to explode.

I remembered the sharp intake of breath, the air cold and bitter and I remember the scream I let out, powerful and loud, slicing through the night air like a knife as my shock won over, as the sky above folded in on itself and the world around me went dark, as I convinced myself that it was dark.

"Miyuki!"

I awoke with a start, panting, covered in sweat, my body tense. I jumped up, nearly falling out of the bed, my heart slamming in my chest, a few tendrils of my hair plastered to my forehead. Her voice echoed in my head along with my scream, along with the feeling of the world around me closing in on itself.

"Miyu—" A hand came down on my arm and I pulled away sharply, rising to my feet and reaching for my weapons pouch until I realized where I was, what I had been doing, and that my pouch was sitting on the counter in the kitchen. I looked into Sasuke's eyes, a light sweat dotting his forehead, concern knitting his brow. It was the most emotion I had seen from him, more emotion than I thought he had in him.

I looked around, trying to slow my breathing until my knees buckled out from beneath me, my body shivering, an icy chill coming over me. Sasuke was there to catch me as I fell, as my eyes widened in my skull and I stared at a spot on his floor, overcome by the sheer force of my nightmare.

"You're ice cold." Sasuke said before reaching back for his blanket. He yanked it all off with one pull and quickly worked to wrap the blanket around me. I was still trembling and he picked me up in his arms, placing me on the bed and wrapped a second blanket around me. Brushing the hair away from my face, he fought to meet my eyes, but I felt frozen, my eyes glued to a spot on the floor, my face slack.

"Miyuki." He breathed my name, worry pulling at the edge of his words. But I was stuck, still stuck in the nightmare, still stuck in that dark stretch of a world with the voice spinning in my head, with the feeling of her in my arms and then suddenly…suddenly everything was gone.

"Breathe." Sasuke said sharply, his hands coming down on both sides of my face. It was a light slap overall and he applied pressure until I managed a cough and then remembered, feeling the tightness in my chest, feeling a rush of dizziness, to breathe. I inhaled and suddenly it was over. I was still trembling slightly, more of a twitch, but now I was just covered in sweat.

I met his eyes finally and he seemed a bit relieved, stepping back to take a good long look at me. I felt embarrassed again but for a different reason this time. It was my worst nightmare coming true, a blossoming connection and now I had shown one of my many problems, night terrors so bad, I only felt comfortable when they showed around Kyoske and Hideki or Megumi-sensei, people I didn't need to explain myself too.

"You alright?" he asked after a few moments, his voice slightly hesitant, as if he were afraid I'd have another episode.

I looked behind him and realized it was the early morning hours. I thought back to how I had ended up sleeping in his bed, next to him of all people and remembered after the rice balls we had drifted there, lying on our backs and talking about random things. Well, I had done most of the talking, nearly all of it actually, and somewhere in the middle of it all, I had drifted to sleep.

"I'm fine." I managed, my voice shaky and hoarse.

Sasuke stepped away for a moment and returned with a glass of water in hand. I moved my hands through the plethora of blankets and reached for the cup, bringing it to my lips and downing it instantly. I handed the empty cup back to him which he balanced on the nightstand beside me.

I moved more of my hair from my face, angry that I hadn't made the braid I had done as I spoke to him tighter. I avoided his eyes, unsure what emotion I would find burning behind them, but also fearful.

"Lie back down." Sasuke commanded and helped me ease back into a spot on the bed, my eyes trained now to the nightstand. He touched my hand and pulled it away quickly, as if I had shocked him somehow.

"You're still freezing." He noted and looked at me as if he expected me to confirm it. But I felt numb. He rose again and I heard the pots clattering in the kitchen again, the stove flicker on as he set a pot to boil.

"I'll be fine." I said to him, my voice still hoarse.

"No you're not." Sasuke snapped, his voice instantly regaining the sharp edge to it.

"This happens all the time." I said.

Silence and then footsteps as he rounded the corner of the bed to get a good look at me, his eyes dark.

"You were screaming bloody murder." He said. " _That_ happens all the time?"

There was no judgment in his eyes, just anger but for the life of me I couldn't figure out why. I could only just stare at him, feeling my defensiveness kicking in, but feeling to tired to let it out.

He narrowed his eyes, fixing me with his dark look for a few moments before he walked back to the kitchen, his hands in fists at his sides. He moved around angrily, pulling a cup from the dish-rack harshly, slamming it on the table before pouring the water. He placed a steaming cup of tea at my bedside and I stared at it before shifting my eyes over to him.

"Maybe I should leave." I said and started to sit up, started to climb out of the cocoon of blankets when he blocked my path.

"Sas—"

"Not until you tell me what that was all about."

"There's nothing to—"

"What happened? That was more than a nightmare. I couldn't wake you."

I shook my head. "It was noth—"

"Don't…don't…" He pressed his lips into a tight line and seemed to take a heavy breath before he looked away, so angry that he could barely look at me. " _Don't_ say it was nothing. It was the _exact_ opposite of being anywhere close to nothing."

I felt my rage flare up then, felt my emotions slowly but surely shifting back into place, warming over the numbness. I was mad at him for thinking he had the right to be mad at me. If anyone should be mad, the rights went to me.

"I don't want to talk about it!" I shouted, and I could see this shocking him slightly, but he was so damn good at composing himself, it was hard to tell.

He froze for a moment, as if remembering something and took a step back. I watched as he composed himself, as every trace of anger on his body faded away. He was back to staring at me with his uninterested, uncaring eyes again and I suddenly wasn't sure if I liked him better that way or upset.

"Fine." He said, his voice low, his eyes careful.

I calmed down myself, feeling the anger decrease, feeling the color in my cheeks melt away. I looked away, feeling foolish and Sasuke stepped past me, toward his bed where he crawled back in.

"I'm leaving." I said after a few moments.

"You don't have to." He said.

"I want to."

"It's dark out."

"I'm still leaving." I grabbed my weapons pouch off the counter and fastened it around the sash tied to my waist. I didn't look back at him as I headed for the door but as I bent down to pick up my shoes, I felt him standing right behind me and it was only when I was standing upright that his hand flew past my head, slamming on the door, making the frame, not to forget me too, shake.

I was about to swing around and ask him what his problem was when the heat from his mouth washed over the back of my neck, making Goosebumps rise on my skin.

"The whole reason you came here was because you didn't want to go home."

"Well…" I swallowed, still finding the nerve through my uneasiness at his proximity to be resilient. "I want to go home now."

"Then why did you come here?"

I was turning to look back at him when his voice stopped me.

"Was it to waste my time?"

What was he? Was he serious? I turned around then and found myself staring at his neck and I realized then, for about the first time that he was taller than me, by a few inches or for all I knew a whole foot. There was something about having to look up at him that made my cheeks flame up again, but slowly, I did.

"Is it so hard to believe not everything is about you?" I asked.

"If you feel that way why did you come here then?" Sasuke asked. "If it wasn't to waste my time, then why?"

I didn't have an answer. I could barely breathe he was too damn close to me. I wanted to push him away but just the thought of touching him made my insides quiver. I could only stare up at him as he stared down at me, his eyes expectant and waiting for an answer.

When I couldn't respond, he made a sound under his breath and broke away from me and turned, heading back for his bed. I pressed my back against his door and slid my hand back to grip the doorknob, struggling to find the courage to turn it. I could turn it and run out of here. I could prove to him that I didn't need him, I didn't need whatever game he was playing with me. But I didn't turn the knob and soon found myself heading back toward the bed, my body climbing back into my spot. I stared at the tea he had made me, still steaming on the nightstand and hugged myself.

The nightmare felt far away now, the screams and memory fading back into the depths with which it came. Silence stretched on between us for what felt like hours but in reality it had only been a handful of minutes. I knew he was awake only because his breathing hadn't slowed. I tried to imagine what he was thinking and realized when he was upset with me it had been the first time since we met where I had an idea of his true emotions other than his annoyance.

I drifted to sleep as I continued to wonder what he was thinking of me, if he was scared, annoyed, or if he wished that I had found the courage to leave.


	9. Chapter 9: Enter! Mysterious Rogue Ninja

**Chapter 9:**

"Look who decided to join us after all these hours of doing who knows what." Megumi-sensei said the moment I opened the door to our hotel room.

"You look horrible." Kyoske said, a bright red popsicle in his mouth as he lounged on the sofa, his head dangling over one of the arms.

"Where have you been?" Hideki called from his work station of endlessly wired computers. He had set up his workspace the moment we had touched down at the hotel. Wordlessly and seamlessly, he had connected wires to ports and plugs. He had finished it all in an hour and it looked just about as complicated as it sounded. Just looking over at him was enough to make a distant pain start at the back of my head.

"I was getting information." I answered calmly, shutting the door behind me.

"With Uchiha." Kyoske said, pressing his lips together. "You were getting information with Uchiha…all night?"

I glared at him, putting as much venom as I had into it. "Don't start."

Megumi-sensei chuckled without any ounce of humor and slid off of the windowsill. "Enough, we have bigger things to move onto now that we're all here."

"What happened?" I asked, still glaring at Kyoske who was eating his popsicle, unaffected while he watched me.

"We found out who they are." Hideki said.

I tore my glare away from Kyoske and looked over at Hideki, my body tense. "Wha—Who are they?" I looked at Megumi-sensei. "He's talking about the Sound ninja right?"

"Their profiles are finally up." Hideki said. "They're plenty suspect alright and they're skilled too."

"Not that that means it'll be any harder to take them down." Kyoske said. "We're just barely acknowledging their skills."

"But that's not all." Hideki said and his eyes shifted over to Megumi-sensei who had her arms crossed.

"We found one of his hideouts." Megumi-sensei said. "It looks like a rundown compound but my intel said that's not the case. They saw the place get a shipment just the other night. So someone is in there."

I smiled, my hands in tight fists at my sides. "That's great! So what's our next step? Are we splitting up or are we—"

"We're going to the compound." Kyoske cut me off.

"But we're not going alone." Hideki added just before the excitement could reach my face. In its place, confusion hit and that was when Megumi-sensei swept in.

"Intel says the compound is being used. The Leaf caught word of a mysterious building just outside it's walls and it wants to send a unit out to investigate, but they're a little tight on shinobi right now." Megumi-sensei explained. "Plus with the Chunin Exams, Genin are busy training. So, they reached out to the Daimyō and he offered our services."

"Okay?" I said slowly, still confused. "So who else is coming?"

"The Hokage said that it wasn't necessary to send us in so he reached out to their ally." Megumi-sensei said. "A group of four that just so happens to be in town for the Chunin Exams."

I closed my eyes and eased back against the door. "The Sand."

"Yup." Kyoske sighed.

"They agreed of course, said they didn't need to practice for something they're going to win." Hideki said.

"Words I like to believe slipped out of Kankuro's mouth." Kyoske added.

"So they're coming?" I asked.

Megumi-sensei nodded. "The only thing is, they don't know what we know. They don't know about the shipment. They're just going to investigate the building."

"And what are we tagging along for?" I asked.

"The ride." Kyoske said, earning a look from Hideki.

"We're going to need to split up when we reach the area and find something that can get us proof that Orochimaru's been there." Megumi-sensei said.

"Or someone working for him at least." Hideki added.

"Okay...so when do we leave?" I asked.

Megumi-sensei looked at the clock on the wall. "In an hour."

…

White Fang was waiting for us by Konoha's main gates and he wasn't alone. Team 7 stood right beside him and they didn't seem to sense the tension chipping away at their sensei's shoulders. Sakura was scolding Naruto, who was arguing with Sasuke over the smirk on his face. Sasuke had his eyes closed, arms crossed and looked just about as uninterested in the conversation as Kakashi was aware that Sakura was about a second away from clocking Naruto on the head.

"Well, well, well." Kakashi said as we drew closer and suddenly all eyes were on us. Sakura blinked at us while a slow smile spread across Naruto's lips, turning excited when he looked at me. Sasuke's eyes met mine briefly until they flickered over to Megumi-sensei who took a step forward. She was amused at the mere sight of Kakashi and she placed a hand on her hip, jutting it out slightly, giving her side a slight curve.

"Heard all about me and had to come and see me for yourself, huh?" Megumi-sensei asked. "Missed me that much, White Fang?"

"I got word you were in the Chunin Exams." Kakashi said. "And heading out on a mission."

"A mission?" Naruto piped and then his eyes widened, as he stepped forward, concern in his voice. "You guys know the exam starts in a week right?"

Kyoske scoffed. "We know Naruto."

"We wouldn't miss the exams for the world." Hideki said. "Something just came up."

"Will you all be back in time?" Sakura asked.

"Of course." Kyoske assured her and then shot me a glance.

I knew they wanted me to say something, anything really, but just looking at Sasuke had reminded me of this morning, when I had slid out of Sasuke's bed and left his apartment, praying that he had been asleep but knowing full well that he hadn't gotten a wink of it all night just like I had.

"You know it's funny." Megumi-sensei said, her head cocking innocently to the side. "I heard you were in the exams as well." Her eyes drifted over to the students beside him, an amused smirk lighting her lips that made Sasuke's lips press together tightly. "I heard you put your little rookies in the exam and that you're not the only one."

"Rookies?" Naruto repeated. "Lady who you calling rookies?!"

Kakashi seemed to smile under his mask which made Megumi-sensei narrow her eyes.

"They're capable." Kakashi said. "Just as capable as your students are."

Megumi-sensei shrugged. "Never said they weren't." She looked them over again. "Just saying you better hope they're stable enough for the job."

This seemed to strike something in Kakashi, whose body tensed beside Naruto. He had no comeback and I could see in his eyes that he knew exactly what Megumi-sensei was subtly hinting at. I remembered suddenly the red cloud rising above the thick mist in the Land of Waves, the slight crack of a Jinchūriki's power and the weight of it in the air.

"Megumi." Baki's sharp voice cut through the air and made us all stiffen until we looked back and saw the Sand ninja walking toward us.

"Baki." Megumi-sensei said with a delicate smile. "Are we ready?"

"Wa-wait you're going on a mission with _them_?" Naruto asked.

"Oh you've all met?" Megumi-sensei said, feigning surprise.

"Let's go already." Gaara growled as he walked toward the front gates.

"Wait you're leaving _now_?!" Naruto asked.

"Miyu—" Sakura stepped forward just as Temari wrapped an arm around my neck, making her freeze, Naruto tense, and Sasuke set his lips into a harder line.

"C'mon Miyuki! We have a long way to walk and a lot to catch up on." Temari said with a wink, steering me away from the Leaf shinobi and after Gaara.

"Get off." I growled under my breath, making Temari chuckle.

"Why so you can give that Uchiha a longing look?" Temari asked. "You'll see your little boyfriend when we get back."

I flushed. "He's _not_ my boyfriend."

Temari stuck her tongue out at me. "Could have fooled me."

She released me when we reached the gates and skipped off to Gaara's side. I looked back and saw Kankuro walking beside Baki and Megumi-sensei and Kyoske and Hideki a few steps in front of them. Hideki was watching Gaara and Kyoske seemed to be in the middle of telling him a story. Just behind everyone I could still make out Team 7, watching us walk away. The slightly horrified look on Naruto's face, Sakura's concern knitting her brow together, the glare aimed at Megumi-sensei coming from Kakashi. Then there was Sasuke, standing apart from the group, his arms crossed, his eyes fixed into what I was sure was the darkest of glares.

I jogged back to my teammates, shooting them a smile. "So where is this hideout? Do we know the coordinates?"

"It's about a half an hour walk, depending." Hideki said.

I nodded. "It is pretty close to the Leaf."

"Yeah." Kyoske yawned. "How these people didn't notice a building being built just outside their walls, I don't know."

"It's probably hidden." I said. "Probably looks like a relic too if it's as rundown as they say."

Kyoske shrugged in response and Hideki looked back at Megumi-sensei and Baki who looked like they were in the middle of conversation.

"What do you think they're talking about?" I asked, absently.

"Who knows." Kyoske said.

"I'm more worried about the Sound ninja." Hideki said.

"What are their names?" I asked.

"Dosu, Zaku, and Kin." Hideki said. "They call themselves Team Dosu."

"Pictures?" I asked.

"I'm not too trusting of the Sand either." Hideki said, ignoring my request. He glanced back at Kankuro who was now walking ahead of our sensei's, his hands locked at the back of his head, his eyes trained to the sky above.

"They've always looked seedy." Kyoske said, following his glance.

"I don't think they would work with Orochimaru though." I said. "They're a lot of things but that…that would be crossing a line."

"Why else would _they_ be here then?" Hideki asked. "Them of all Sand shinobi?"

"What's that Hideki?" Temari called. We all looked over at her and found that she was closer than before. Gaara was a few steps ahead of her too.

"Nothing." Kyoske said. "Why don't you mind your business, huh?"

Temari opened her mouth to shoot him back a response but Gaara beat her to it, stopping in his tracks to shoot Kyoske a glare.

"Don't speak to her that way." He grumbled. "Or I'll kill you."

"No one will be killing anyone right now so keep walking and pretending at least while we're still within eyeshot that we're one big happy unit." Megumi-sensei said.

"Appearances matter that much to you?" Kankuro asked.

"Well, when we're with people as shady as you Kankuro, yes." Megumi-sensei said.

"Shady?" Baki repeated as if the word was foreign to him.

Megumi-sensei shrugged. "Just making a point."

"Not really aimed at me, but whatever." Kankuro sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Shut up." Gaara growled, picking up his pace.

I took a good look at him noting that the chip on his shoulder seemed even bigger than usual. It showed he wasn't over our little fight the other day which was fine because clearly neither was Kyoske and Kankuro. Either way, Kankuro shut up and looked away, as a nervous look crossed his face that made Kyoske snicker in response.

"What's up with you people and those Leaf babies anyway?" Temari asked.

"They're our friends." I answered, maybe a little too quickly judging by the look Gaara shot me.

"Friends is a very selective term." Megumi-sensei said dryly. "That's putting it lightly."

"Clearly you don't feel the same as your students." Baki said.

"They are strong shinobi." Hideki said.

"The Uchiha is." Gaara growled. "The other boy and the girl are annoying."

"They just haven't blossomed yet." I said, remembering the red cloud.

"That blonde kid is gonna get them all killed, I'll tell you that much." Kankuro said. "His big mouth in the Forest of Death? Not a chance."

"Or how about during the written portion? That psyche out?" Temari giggled. "He'll sweat up a storm."

"He'll raise his hand for sure!" Kyoske chuckled before I elbowed him in the ribs.

"Oww!" He spat, his hands clutching at the spot I had hit him.

"Don't support them." I growled.

"We'll see when the exam rolls around won't we? Who stays and who goes?" Hideki said. "For such big talk, we're not fortune tellers. We can't see the future. They could switch up tactics, make the forest even deadlier this year. Who knows if we'll even make it out?"

The laughter and chuckles cut short and everyone seemed to look off in different directions, except for Gaara, Hideki, our sensei's, and I. Megumi-sensei and Baki exchanged what seemed to be an amused look while Kyoske looked down at his feet. Temari looked up at the trees, watching the sun filter through the leaves and Kankuro simply turned his head, his jaw clenched, his aura annoyed.

I couldn't help but keep looking forward, a satisfied smirk crossing my lips. Hideki had hit the nail right on the head with that one. When it came to Temari and Kankuro, their confidence often got mixed in with cockiness and in a battle, there could only be but so much. It was unpredictable, just like life. Sure they were strong and notable shinobi, but not everything would go in their favor. Anything could happen, anything at all.

We were silent for the rest of the way and when we were close, Megumi-sensei and Baki stopped us and said they were going to scout ahead. Baki produced headsets and told us to scatter around the area, waiting for their mark in case it was a trap of some kind.

Temari and I scattered east and while she stayed low, jumping through the brush, I took the treetops, leaping from tree branch to tree branch, my eyes scanning the area. It was quiet for the most part, peaceful almost. I reeled to a stop about fifteen minutes in and made myself comfortable on a branch, my eyes scanning the forest depths. I could make out the hideout over the treetops and it looked like a big mud dome, nothing fancy but definitely sketchy especially when it was so close to the Land of Fire's most prized village.

"I am in position, over." Kyoske's came through the walkie and he was sure to make a static-y sound with his mouth.

"Idiot." Hideki said a few moments after.

"You have to say over, over." Kyoske said.

"Shut up." Gaara snapped.

"All of you shut up, how about that one?" Megumi-sensei growled.

"I'm just trying to lighten the mood." Kyoske added quickly.

"Kyoske!" Several voices snapped, making the frequency screech. I groaned and pulled the headset out of my ear almost instantly and that was when I heard a snap from down below and looked down.

I saw a flash of someone walking past the tree I was in and felt my body tense as I heard their soft footsteps in the dirt below. I tried peering through the trees but found no luck. Stealthily, I moved through the trees, trying to be as quiet as possible as I snuck over to get a better look. I was almost at the edge, almost able to catch a peek, when a kunai zipped up through the trees narrowly missing my face but slicing the side of my cheek.

I jumped back only to be hit with another wave of kunai and managed to dodge them with a substitution. I barely had time to look at the source of the kunai wave as I landed in the deep brush, cowering behind a thorny rose bush. I pulled a kunai out of my weapons pouch and held it to my side, my heart thumping in my chest. I couldn't help the fast, pulse-pounding adrenaline pumping through my veins and I was ready to strike, ready to drag whoever was throwing weapons at me back to the others.

I counted to three and rose from the bush, my weapon ready to strike when I found a body right in front of me, standing directly in front of the bush, directly in front of where I had been hiding. I was thrown off, stunned for a few seconds as I blinked at the body before me, before I swiped my arm down with my kunai in hand. Suddenly, the body reached forward, and caught my wrist. With one sharp twist, my kunai dropped and before the body, no, this dark haired girl with light red eyes, could break my hand, I wrestled myself free from her hold and reached for another weapon.

"I wouldn't kid." She said, her voice dry and bored, matching her expression which looked just as unamused. She was taller than me and older too. She had a jagged hairstyle, one side longer than the other, the other cut shrewdly, her hair slightly spiky. She had a pair of dark glasses over her red eyes and she wore a black cape with red clouds on it. One of her legs poked out of the capes front, revealing a sandal that stretched over her kneecap and ended just above her mid-thigh area.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

The girl arched an eyebrow. "You try sneaking up on me and you get to ask questions?" Something shifted in her cape and at the same time I was able to pick up my kunai, a hand lifted from the cape sleeve and as it lifted a thin metal pipe-like thing shot from her sleeve. She aimed it at me, the end hollow. It was centered on my face and I stared into the dark hole for a second, my kunai just a hair above the edge of it.

"Who are _you_?" The girl asked.

I wanted to glare at her, but I stopped myself. Instead, I forced myself to look at her.

"You work for him?" I asked.

She said nothing, just continued to watch me.

"He told you to keep that compound safe? You're his little watchdog, right?"

She blinked at me before arching an eyebrow.

"Kid, I have no idea what you're talking about and I'm about half a second away from blasting your face off if you don't answer my question." She said.

"Orochimaru." I spat and that got a reaction out of her.

She glared at me, a hard, hateful glare that I felt in my bones. Her grip on the pipe tightened as well and I could see her jaw tense.

"How do you know that name?" She growled through clenched teeth.

"You work for him, right?" I asked again, my voice careful.

Her eyes narrowed. "I don't work for that monster." She said.

"Then what are you doing slinking around that compound?" I asked.

"Listen brat!" The girl growled. " _You're_ the one slinking around the compound and uttering his name. You're the one that clearly works for him."

She had a slight point, but I didn't admit it. I kept on staring at her pointedly, hoping that her words had stirred something in my expression. Judging by her glare, it hadn't.

"Don't move." I growled, reaching for my headset.

The girl scoffed and pushed her pipe forward. I gasped, barely dodging it and then rolled to the side, pulling out a string of kunai and launching all of them at her. She twirled her pipe like a baton and the kunai deflected off of it. I jumped back as did she.

"The weapons barrage is getting old, kid." She called out to me.

"You haven't even begun to see what I can do." I said, as I started making hand signs. "Earth Release! Earth and Stone Bamboo Shoot!" My hands slammed down on the ground and the moment they touched four sharp stone spikes shot from the ground in the clearing, one coming from behind, in front of and on both of her sides. The spikes ripped out of the ground, overturning tree roots in the process. Her eyes widened for a split second and that was all I saw as the spikes collided, creating a cloud of thick dust. I jumped back even further, the backs of my legs brushing against the bushes as I held my breath, waiting. The Jutsu was full-proof, impossible to dodge. Plus, the look on her face proved she hadn't been expecting it, that she not only knew she wouldn't be able to miss it, but that she was shocked someone like me could even use it.

"Not bad, kid." The girl shouted from somewhere above me. I looked up and saw her balanced on top of a tree branch, her hand on her hip and another part of her outfit under the cape was revealed. A pair of black shorts that were cut super short and super low, covering just enough of her bottom, but enough to show off her flat stomach. I was stunned and looked back at the intersecting spikes only to see a tree log in the middle of it, splinters rising from it like jagged little spikes, wood chips floating to the ground below.

"But I'm better." She aimed her arms at me and two of those thin pipes shot out from her sleeves. A vicious blast of wind shot from the pipes and it was all so sudden and happened so fast, it didn't give me enough time to dodge. The moment the wind reached me, I was knocked clean off my feet, my screams silenced in the vicious tornado of winds, as my body moved through the wind tunnel like a rag doll until it stopped altogether and I landed, breathlessly on the ground a few feet away. The wind tunnel kept rolling through the trees, losing power and momentum the further it went but leaving a trail nonetheless.

I was struggling to push myself up when the girl landed in front of me before kicking one of her feet into my shoulder. I gasped, gritting my teeth together as I glared up at her.

"Earth Style, huh?" The girl said as she nodded to herself. "Pretty powerful Ninjutsu you got there. What are you? A Genin?"

I bit back my tongue, my mind racing to come up with some sort of plan. The wind had cut me up a little, forced slight rips all over my clothes, tiny cuts scattered throughout my arms and legs. They were small wounds though and while they had all stung a few moments ago, they were fading away, and I was ready to move again, the only problem I had to find an opening of some sort.

"Tch." The girl shook her head at me. "Pretty powerful stuff for a Genin. A Genin from the Land of Water more like it."

"You done?" I snapped.

"Hmph." The girl said, her heel digging further into my shoulder. "Watch it little Genin."

I moved then, reaching up to take her ankle. I flipped onto my back, my hold still good and pulled her leg with all my strength. She slid forward slightly, but that was just the opening I needed to push myself up, staggering her balance. Still holding her ankle, I twisted it quickly, seeing the muscles in her legs tense as her entire body flipped and she landed hard on the ground. I was making hand signs again when she lifted her free leg and pushed me off of her. I skidded back, and inhaled.

"Fire Style! Fireball Jutsu!" Exhaling the massive fireball it was a sure direct hit until I heard those pipes of hers again and the wind picking up inside the hollow end. I jumped out of the way just as my ball of flame backfired, all of it coming back at me with a stronger force. It scorched the trees, leaving their charred remains behind.  
I rolled to the side and managed to pull a kunai from my pocket in the process. I rose into a defensive stance as I watched the girl, one full pipe clasped in her hand.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded.

If she was mad before, she was furious now. "Kid, you're definitely in for it."

"Do you know him? Do you work for him?" I continued to demand. "Do you work for Orochimaru?"

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO SAY THAT NAME!" The girl shouted before slamming her pole into the earth. A split second later the ground around her exploded in ripples and I barely made it out of the way before the ground beneath my feet crumpled. I was struggling to make it to high ground when the girl shot from the dust with her pole extended for my heart. I dodged her, the pole piercing through a slab of rock instead. It went clean through, no struggle either, and I wondered what exactly the pole was made of. It was hollow yet it could fire powerful torrents of wind with the same intensity as Temari's metal fan. Such a flimsy looking weapon was proving to be deadlier and deadlier the more I fought with this girl.

I jumped out of her way as soon as she freed her pole from the rock slab. I caught a nearby tree branch and struggled to climb to the next one when the girl sent a few kunai at me. They were all close calls but they were sent quickly enough that I lost my balance and that was all the opening the girl needed to aim her metal pole at me once more and I could hear the whistling of another incoming wind torrent. I was going to get hit again and there was so much rubble and debris around, I was sure I'd get hit somehow, or worse, knocked out.

"Miyuki!" Temari's voice sounded distant but close.

"Wind Scythe Jutsu!" One wave of her fan sent several air currents in the mysterious girl's direction and allowed me time to run out of the way. Her attack cancelled out the incoming winds, but barely. Wind still whipped my hair around my face and Temari appeared by my side, helping me to my feet.

"Impressive Sand Genin." The girl called from atop a tree branch. Her hand was on her hip, her leg popping out of the slit in her cape again.

"Who the hell is she?" Temari grunted.

"No idea but I think she knows something about the compound. She was walking away from it." I mumbled.

"Tch." Temari said, steadying her fan behind her. "I don't have time for this."

"She's strong." I said. "Every time I think I have her, she does something different."

"We'll see about that with me." Temari growled. "Alright! Play time is over. Either tell us what you're doing here or we'll make sure you never walk again!"

"Bold words from such an unconvincing mouth." The girl called down to us as she folded her arms over her chest.

Temari's grip on her fan tightened. "Last chance."

"As much as I'd love to stay and chat, you two bimbos have made me late for an extremely important date." The girl said with a dark smile.

"You're not going anywhere!" I shouted, firing off another round of kunai. The girl chuckled and just when my kunai were about to make contact, her body burst into a flock of crows that cawed and flapped their black, leathery wings together as they dispersed into the forest.


	10. Chapter 10: You Failed!

**Chapter 10:**

"Genjutsu." Temari growled the moment the girl disappeared.

My kunai struck the bark as Temari turned to look back at me. "She's gone."

"No!" I protested, jumping up to the tree branch, my chakra flowing like fire through my veins. I squinted between the foliage around me, searching for at least one of this useless and stupid crows but instead saw the leaves rubbing against each other in the passing breeze.

"It's over." Temari called up to me. "We don't have time to go after her anyway, we have the clear to go into the building."

"But what if she's an important piece?" I asked.

"Or what if she was just passing through until you attacked her?" Temari challenged.

I turned to glare down at her. "We won't know for sure until we find her and force it out of her!"

"You can't just—" Temari cut herself short as she pressed a finger against her ear piece. "We're coming already so cool it!"

I had forgotten all about my headset but when I looked down at my walkie, I quickly found that my headset was missing and had probably blown away in the winds. I jumped out of the tree, landing a few feet away from Temari who sighed heavily as she adjusted the volume on her headset.

"Kyoske is such a pain." Temari grunted. She looked up at me and nodded to the north, where the compound was. "C'mon, we have to move."

I looked back at the direction the girl had run and struggled to sense her chakra. But, nothing was out there. She was long gone and she hadn't left a trail behind either. All that was out there were animals scurrying around, shaking tree leaves and a gentle breeze.

It took me a minute and another sharp command from Temari to get me to move again. I couldn't shake the girl from my head or even get a grasp on her jutsu. She was strong, that much was for sure and she was skilled too, stealthy like a cat and able to hide her chakra. Even during our fight, I had never been able to get a clear read on it.

Temari and I reached the compound and found Baki kicking the shaky front door in. Kyoske was the only to turn back and look at us as we approached.

"Bought time you two strolled in." He said, shaking his head.

"We got caught up." Temari answered before I could.

"It had a seal that Megumi-sensei broke." Hideki said.

"Child's play seal, something put in haste." Megumi-sensei said as she reached into her pouch and pulled out a mini-flashlight. Everyone but Gaara followed suit and Temari of course, drifted to his side, flashlight raised.

The compound looked just as terrible and sketchy as it did on the outside. There was a lot of space though and some light debris and other junk littered the floor in a few places. Cobwebs hung low from the ceiling and glistened with our lights. There were a couple of cables and cords hanging from the ceiling, attempts at creating some sort of light in this dark mud heap. There were even attempts at making what I assumed was furniture, and it featured a shaky table in the corner and a three-legged chair in the other. There were eight dark hallways to follow down and I could only imagine where they all led to.

"It's like no one has been in here for a long time." Kyoske said as he moved his light along the length of the room.

"There are tracks on the floor." Gaara grumbled, his eyes closed.

We all looked down and sure enough there were tracks on the floor, as if something had been dragged through. _The shipment_ , I thought and allowed my light to travel the length of it, vowing to be the one to follow the path until I realized the tracks split down all eight hallways.

"Let's split up." Megumi-sensei suggested as she started down one of the hallways.

We all nodded and as I started down my own, the air grew stuffier and thicker the further in I got. I could hear the other's distantly behind me, Kyoske and Kankuro arguing as they walked down their respective hallways, until their voices faded completely. I gripped my flashlight tightly in my hand and bit my bottom lip as a new thought struck my mind, Sasuke.

It was not the best time to think of him, of all people, but I couldn't help it. I could still see his face in my mind, the shock and anger as he watched my team walked away with the Sand ninja. Then there was last night, the fire in his eyes fading back to his usual uninterested expression. He was mad, there was no denying it and I dreaded going back to Konoha like this, knowing that he would be on me almost immediately. I had to think of what to say, that the mission and the people who came with it were out of my control, but I knew if I were in his place it would do little to ease my suspicions.

A sound echoed from my hallway and I stopped walking and listened. I couldn't place what the sound was, but I knew it had come from somewhere up ahead, down the curve of the hallway. I ran toward it, adrenaline pumping back through my veins. I turned the corner and found yet another hallway but this one had makeshift doors that lead to what looked like rooms. I started going to each door, my hands turning and pulling on each knob. But the doors that gave didn't lead to anything special, just damp and dark rooms and the ones that didn't, didn't lead to any room, just showed the wall. I was near the end of the hallway when the sound echoed again and I felt my body tense up as I looked further down the hallway. The sound was closer this time and it sounded like a creek, a rusty creak. I shut the door of the room I was investigating and ran toward the sound. I turned another corner before I spotted stairs leading down. I ran down them and found myself in a dank and dripping basement. Muggy didn't even begin to describe the air and I noted that the walls were dripping themselves, the mud seeming to melt in the humidity. I moved my flashlight through the room and found that I wasn't only in the basement but that I was standing in the middle of two walls worth of holding cells. Metal cages, some rusting, others looking brand new and locked with shiny padlocks.

I stepped further into the basement, moving my flashlight into each cage, but quickly found that all the cages were empty. It didn't make sense that a few of the cages were brand new and it also didn't make sense that a few were locked as well. I was about to turn back up the steps when I spotted something in the corner of my room. I aimed my flashlight at the corner and my eyes wide. Fresh crimson was splashed on the wall and it was in the outline of a body. It was dripping down into an even bigger puddle of crimson and it looked as if something, no, someone had exploded.

My breath left my mouth shakily and I started to take steps back, my light shivering over the spot. Blood. Blood. So much blood. I backed right into one of the closed metal cage doors, the rods digging into my back as my eyes widened even more at a memory bursting into my mind. It was one of the few I had had with Orochimaru and it was every bit as fuzzy as the rest of them. But, it was a memory either way and it began with the two of us standing in the middle of an empty and dark room with a shivering child before us. It was a little boy, a scared and ashamed little boy, and Orochimaru's hand had been resting on my shoulder reassuringly, his head lowered to my ear as he whispered commands to me.

"Kill him. Destroy him. Rip him to pieces. Make him suffer."

It had sounded reasonable in my head and I felt the harsh sting of what this boy had done to me, no to us, and though I couldn't remember what happened exactly, I just knew that he had messed up and he needed to pay in the worst possible way. Something dark had been snaking in my belly and the more Orochimaru had whispered in my ear, the faster whatever was inside moved around.

"Kill him. Kill him. End him. Break him." He chanted into my ear and I remembered balling my hands into tight fists at my sides, anger exploding in my chest as I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and doubled over. It was coming out, whatever was snaking around inside of me, was coming out and suddenly I couldn't breathe. The boy whimpered, his body positioned to run, but his limbs were numb with fear. I had let out a cry as whatever was inside felt like it had burst out, but it wasn't from my stomach, it was from my back. I couldn't breathe as Orochimaru's voice became even darker, becoming one inside of me. Suddenly, I was chanting the words in my own head, fully and firmly believing them. I wanted the boy dead. I wanted to crush him, destroy him, feel his blood run between my fingers. I wanted him to pay.

I remembered his sharp screams, his pleas for help, for mercy. My head was low to the ground, my teeth clenched tightly together and between his screams for help there was something else, a low grumble coming from deep within my chest. My mouth pulled back into a tight smile as the grumble left my mouth and I realized as I lifted my head to see the boy's limbs pulled from his sockets, his blood splattering in every direction, on every surface, that it was laughter. That I was laughing.

The boy's cries stilled and the little that was left of his mutilated body slumped to the ground and was just as bloody and messy as the walls. Orochimaru's hand had left my shoulder just as footsteps sounded from behind us, coming from the side. A little girl burst into the scene, her body darting from the darkness, toward the spotlight over the boy and I had watched as she threw her small body onto the ground, her hands reaching for the bloody body, but not touching it. Tears lit her eyes and she turned to shoot me a hateful look.

"That's enough, Miyuki!" She screamed at me. "That's enough!"

Orochimaru's hand was back again and there was a burning on my neck, the flare of the cursed seal, a feeling like no other, like a thousand blisters rising on my skin. I gasped, feeling my insides twist as I continued to laugh in the little girl's face.

"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" Her voice echoed throughout the room and my laughter cut short almost instantly. I felt stuck, my eyes wide, my breathing stilled. She was panting from the sheer exertion of her words, her eyes dark as they took me in.

"Kill her." Orochimaru commanded and I remembered the effect those words had on me, how it made my blood run cold. The girl's eyes widened at them and she stared up at Orochimaru as if he had ripped her heart clean out of her chest. But, it was only for a fraction of a second because a second later the darkness and venom returned to her eyes and she fixed him with a hateful glare.

"She's your favorite now?" The girl screamed. "How can _she_ be your favorite?"

I gasped, the memory rippling to an end in my head and then there was the pounding headache that came after. I reached a hand up to my head and let it rest on my forehead as the pain trickled throughout my skull. I took a shaky breath and felt my body sliding down to the ground as I began to shake and a cold sweat began at the back of my neck, spreading all over my back.

The girl, so familiar and yet the moment the memory ended I would never be able to place her face. I knew that I had known her and judging by the sickening feeling that had come over me in the memory, she had been close to me. She had been an important part of who I had been back then. As for the little boy, he didn't ring any bells, but he had been even younger than me and it was his youth that struck me the most along with the burning question of what he had done exactly.

I was blinking and shivering, my arms wrapped tightly around my body when I heard the distant patter of small feet and suddenly made out a body standing in front of me. It bent down to look me straight in the eye and I found the the little girl from my memory staring at me with a smirk on her face and a distinguishing feature on her face.

The red eyes, the same ones that had stared down at me just a few moments ago in the forest. The same pair I had fought with in the forest, that just so happened to belong to the body I had seen walking away from the compound.

 **...**

I awoke drenched in my own sweat, distant voices around me, all of them laced with worry. My eyes fluttered open and I made out Kyoske's face hovering about a foot away from mine.

"She's awake." Kyoske said, as he pulled me up to a sitting position. I placed a hand softly against my forehead and sucked in a shaky breath, my head still reeling, my body shivering.

"You passed out." Temari's voice drifted from somewhere beside me and I groaned in response, burying my face between my legs as I hugged myself tightly.

"It looks like something imploded." Kankuro observed, standing in the corner where the blood was pooling at the floor and the stain of a body hung just above it.

"Someone more like it." Temari said, hands on her hips as she walked beside Kankuro to observe.

"What happened?" Hideki asked.

I shook my head, not wanting to speak about it. The red eyes. The memory. I was sure I had been hallucinating, a part of me not over the fact that I had let a possible suspect get away. But the other part burned with familiarity. It was as if the girl fit perfectly into the memory, and just thinking about her helped solidify the fuzziness that was my memory.

"What was kept in these things anyway?" Hideki asked.

"It looks human." Kankuro said.

"Someone's here." Gaara's voice was low but loud enough to force everyone into silence. We all looked at him, the furthest away, standing alone beside the wall, his eyes fixed on the hallway.

"It's probably Megumi-sensei and Baki." Kyoske said.

"No." Gaara said almost immediately and turned to face the hallway.

I struggled to sense then, make out another body close by. But there was no chakra trail and there were no nearby sounds. The hall was empty and if I heard anything it was Kyoske's ragged breathing from the thickness in the air.

I pushed myself up to my feet when suddenly a few shiny objects darted past my line of vision and landed on the back wall. Our eyes all drifted to the corner and it was only when we saw the flaming seals at the bottom of the kunai that we scrambled.

"Explosives!" Kyoske shouted right before the seals exploded. It was close range, close enough to singe clothing and skin and I was sure we wouldn't be able to dodge it in time. But, when I opened my eyes, Gaara had covered us all with a sand dome of his own impenetrable sand. It began to sink to the ground, its contents sliding back into his gourd. Slowly, we looked up and found that sheer force of the explosion had blown out the whole back of the dome building. Above, the sky as clear and cloudless but there was something in the air, a lingering string of chakra and as I turned my head to the source, a body was flinging toward me.

"Miyuki!" Temari managed a warning a few minutes too late and just as the body slammed into me, nocking me clean off my feet, I was too slow to defend myself. We flew back, into the clearing and the body pressed an arm against my throat. I coughed, blinking, struggling to make sense of the body above me. It was a person, but the gender was out of my grasp. There were thick bandages covering their eyes and chest, old bandages that were dirty and spotted with blood. Their mouth was strong, yet feminine in the chin and their mouth was pulled back into a snarl just as markings rose out from the underneath the bandages on the body's neck. They barely flinched as the black markings spread and I heard it, the sound of something breaking free from the flesh.

I blinked and could see it, a straggled-looking claw of a hand, heavily distorted but also incredibly sharp and it was looming just beyond the outskirts of the body's head. I blinked back at the body over me, my heartbeat accelerating in my chest as I realized that the markings were a byproduct of the cursed mark and that this person, this teenager was one of Orochimaru's pawns.

Kunai whizzed past the person's head and they growled as they looked back toward where everyone stood. It was all the opening I needed to wiggle myself free of their grasp and I did, raising an arm and bringing the elbow down hard against the side of the person's head. I crawled out from under them as their body rolled to the side and jumped a few feet away, raising a kunai from my pouch in defense.

"You alright?" Kyoske asked, his eyes not on me but on this new lightening quick threat.

"They're pretty fast, aren't they?" Hideki noted. "I didn't even see it when they came in."

"Yeah, well they're here now." Temari growled under her breath and reached back for her metal fan.

"What are we going to do?" Kyoske asked.

"Engage." Kankuro grunted just as a torrent of sand whished past their heads. The torrent was aimed right for the body who blocked it with their strange hand, but was sent flying back by the sheer force.

"Gaara." Hideki called as Gaara stepped forward, his eyes narrowed.

"We can handle this." Temari said, her voice soft.

Gaara gave no answer and if he had heard her, he gave no response. His gaze was fixed on where the body had flown back and he stood there, waiting as the rest of us held our breaths. I knew what Hideki and Kyoske were thinking. How stable was Gaara? That chip on his shoulder was growing and suddenly I wondered if his worse than usual attitude was tied to this body. He he sensed it a mile away?

The body darted out from above the trees and let out a vicious roar as the distorted hand bursting out from its back clenched into a tight fist aimed at Gaara. Gaara didn't even bat an eyelash as the sand came to his defense, blocking the hit that sounded like crumbling rock. The force of the attack made my hair rustle and I knew, deep down before this could get any worse we had to stop Gaara from fighting.

The body pushed off of Gaara's sand just as it spiked up. As the body landed a few feet away, the sand spikes shot forward and hit the ground as the body expertly dodged.

"What are those markings on its body?" Temari asked.

"There's a giant hand poking out of its back and you're asking about the damn markings?" Kankuro growled as he free Crow from his bindings. "C'mon, we can't let Gaara have all the fun."

"Stay out of this." Gaara growled.

"Gaara, no." I called just as the body turned to face me. It let out a straggled cry that sounded just above a normal human's voice, before it started running toward me. I braced myself, ready for the impact when suddenly, Gaara's sand moved in front of me. The body reared itself to a stop but it was too late. Gaara's sand had drifted throughout the entire area, making the ground beneath the body's feet his territory, an inescapable prison.

"Sand Coffin." Gaara grumbled and the sand shot forward, imprisoning the body. The hand struggled the most, thrashing around within the sand until it tightened, making it and the body immobile. The body grunted and Temari shot in front of Gaara, her hands up.

"Gaara, please." She begged.

"Don't you dare kill them!" Hideki growled.

"Gaara, stop!" Kankuro said, his voice weak.

Kyoske pulled out a kunai.

Gaara lowered his head, the vein in his forehead pulsing as his body began to shake.

"Stop it! You're going to get him worked up!" I shouted and took a step forward. That was when two things happened. One, the hand within the sand, attached to the body's back burst free of the sand and shot toward our small group. Two, a fiery pain shot up the length of my neck, a throbbing, pulsing pain that made my vision blurry. I gasped, dropping to my knees, a hand shooting up to cup the side of my neck where the mark burned like an intense fire.

"Temari!" Kankuro shouted and then there was the sound of the hand's sharp claw piercing flesh.

I blinked through my blurriness as my body fell to the ground and watched as Temari fell to the side as well, her shoulder gushing with blood, her teeth clenched as she writhed in pain.

"Sand Burial!" Gaara growled.

"NO!" Someone shouted as the sound of bones being crushed filled my ears right before something wet came down on my cheeks.

…

We had failed.

We never failed missions but this one, this marked the second one, and even though Baki and Megumi-sensei wouldn't include the bloodshed in the report, it didn't help any of us forget. I couldn't sleep and was wide awake at 3 in the morning feeling every bit as restless as I had the night before.

I rolled to the side thinking of Sasuke and imagined all the questions he would shoot at me, his dark eyes demanding answers I couldn't even begin to give. I thought of the red-eyed girl with the dark hair and the cloud covered cape. I thought of her blistering rage, at the accusation burning in her eyes as her small, frail hands reached for the dripping pile of what was once a little boy. I shivered and pressed my palms into my eyes, trying to rub the memories away. I hadn't mentioned the girl or the memory to my team yet and any chance that I had of ever mentioning it to them was gone. We were all in our own little worlds, the boys probably thinking about all those poor villagers from our last Sand mission and Megumi-sensei, so angry and disappointed in us she could barely stand to look at us. It was the weight of her rage that made us feel even lower, the one person we always wanted to make proud and there we were merely standing back as Gaara had his way, too stunned to move.

I pushed myself out of bed, pushing my covers back as I climbed out and headed out of our hotel room, hoping that some fresh air would help get not only my head right but allow some sort of sleep to form in my body. The streets were nearly empty and I was walking in any direction, just focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. I was consumed by my thoughts while struggling to find something else to think about altogether. But it seemed that everything I could possibly think about proved to be even worse than the one before it.

"Hey." It was a voice from above and I stopped in my tracks, my head slowly turning up until I realized where my feet had led me. Sasuke's apartment. I felt my stomach drop as I locked eyes with him above. He was staring down me, his arms leaning on the railing of his balcony, his body hunched over as if he had been trying to get a better look at me. He still wore that same uninterested expression, but there had been a softer tint in his voice.

I held my breath, pulling my hands behind my back as I felt my cheeks warm at the sight of it. Seeing him was the last thing I needed and yet there I was standing outside of his place and getting caught in the act. I wondered briefly how else my day could get any worse. "You gonna stand down there all night?"

My blush deepened and I looked away. I thought back to the sternness of his expression the other night, his dark eyes cutting into mine, demanding answers. I remembered watching it all fade away, into an unreadable expression and wondering if he cared. If it was possible to stop caring in the span of ten seconds.

"Hey." His voice was closer now and I looked up to find him standing in front of me.

I looked up at him, my eyes widening with slight surprise as I hugged myself, rubbing my hands up and down my arms.

"I just wanted to say sorry." I said.

He didn't say anything, just blinked down at me.

"For the other night." I said, feeling shy. "I-I get those from time to time and I'm so used to it that it's always nothing b-but I know it scared you when I scre—"

He placed two firm hands on my shoulders and I stopped talking, my voice hitching in my throat. I looked up at him, unable to form even thoughts and slowly, ever so slowly, he pulled me against him. I was too shocked to even move and felt my body tense in response as I breathed in the scent of him, clean and fresh, his shirt feeling a little wet. I rested my forehead against his chest and exhaled a breath, my body relaxing as the air filtered out of my lungs.

"Stop apologizing." He muttered.

A few moments later I found myself lying beside him on his bed, our gazes locked on the stark whiteness of his ceiling, silence drifting between us. I felt my exhaustion then, slipping from my tense muscles, slithering out from my thoughts. My eyes were heavy and I could feel a yawn building in my chest. I folded my hands over my stomach and closed my eyes.

"I take it that mission of yours was fun." Sasuke said. "Had a good time with your buddies?" I stiffened and I knew when I opened my eyes that the small movement had shook the bed and I could feel his eyes on my face, studying my expression.

"It was everything you could possibly think it was." I sighed, lifting a hand up to my forehead. "And we're not buddies."

"Tch." Sasuke muttered and I could hear his head shifting back to look up at the ceiling.

I turned my head and looked at him, at the moonlight spilling over his porcelain skin, noting the nearly perfect shape of his ear, the firmness of his jaw and the subtle curve of his lips pressed into a tight line.

I flushed and he turned back to face me just as my eyes averted his mouth. I fought the rush of scarlet that wanted to shoot up to my face and knew that despite my struggles I was still blushing even if it was lightly. Slowly, I looked up and met his gaze, our eyes locking as a tightness pulled in my stomach.

"What was the nightmare about?" Sasuke asked, his voice low.

Just the mere mention of it brought back the feeling of her in my arms, her small body on my lap, the lightness of her giggles in my ear and the softness of her fingers smoothing through my hair. I could almost picture her eyes gazing up at me and the smile that spread over her lips warmed my heart just before it began to hurt. I bit my bottom lip and turned to look back up at the ceiling, taking a breath. I was losing him, I knew that. I was putting the mission at risk because Sasuke Uchiha wasn't letting me in. There was no need to mention Orochimaru but if they were communicating, I was sure I wouldn't be the one he would tell it too. My trump card was in play now but as the ache in my chest spread throughout my body, I knew playing it would only plunge me deeper into the heaviness over my body. I would feel more disappointment, more annoyance, at a past I could hardly remember.

But I didn't have a choice. Our stories, so similar and yet so different. Two people who had lost everything and while one had found someone, something to live for, the other sought revenge and was walking down a dark path, a path the one that found the light had teetered on. I looked back at him and sucked in a breath before beginning.


	11. Chapter 11: The Story of Miyuki Obanji I

**Chapter 11: The Story of Miyuki Obanji, Pt. I**

I remembered sitting out on the back porch, a gentle breeze rustling through my hair and the distant sound of my younger siblings running around in the next room. My legs were kicking out underneath me and a smile had crept its way onto my lips as I looked up at the cloudless sky, watching the leaves dance. My mother, mustering all of her strength, had managed to sit up and had even slid open her door to catch a glimpse of the outside world. I could feel her quick glances in my direction, hear the soft hum of her voice as she sat on her bed knitting.

I had glanced back and caught sight of her in bed, her long, black as night hair shining with strength, looking ethereal as it cascaded past her shoulders and down her back, pooling around her bottom. Her skin, pale and light but taut and healthy. Her face narrow, her eyes a clear, crystal purple and her lips plump and soft. She was thin, frail, sickly and had been for a great part of her life. But, the chakra emanating from her body was powerful, stronger than Priestess Akane's. My mother, Mitsiru Obanji, was a proud and strong woman and according to Akane she had been a respectable kunoichi, a true heir to the Obanji throne, until she met my father and her own mother passed.

The Obanji's had protected our village from the time it had started and in a lot of ways had been the ruling authority. It was their job to protect the village, to defend all they believed in and it was them who enacted the powerful, forbidden Genjutsu that clouded the island, that kept our people away from everyone's senses. The jutsu was forbidden for a reason and it required an enormous amount of chakra, something the Obanji's were born with abundance of. They were the only ones able to withstand the drain and the effect the jutsu had on the body. But, the jutsu cut their life expectancy in half and it wasn't long before the weight of the jutsu had to fall on my mother. The strain of childbirth had its toll on her as well and after her second baby she was forced to be on bed rest for the rest of her life. But, that never stopped her and it never dampened her spirts. She gave my father eight children, all of us equally beautiful like our mother, the boys carrying the handsome features of our father, the girl's the gentle softness of our mother.

I remembered looking back into the other room where I watched my younger siblings rolling around on the floor, laughing and smiling together.

"You don't want to go and play too?" My mother had asked, her voice as soft as silk.

I swung back around to face her and shot her a pout.

"I'm too big to play." I had said.

This had made my mother chuckle into her sleeve and she managed a nod shortly after.

"Oh yes, how could I possibly forget." She had said before placing her knitting aside and patting down on an empty spot beside her.

It was all I needed to leap off of the porch and run into her room, diving headfirst onto her bed which made my mother laugh again. She ran her fingers through my hair, smoothing it out, as I sat up and smiled at her.

"Too big to play?" Mom had asked, arching an eyebrow. "But just the other day you were playing with Sayuri in the fields."

Sayuri was my junior, not exactly my youngest sibling, but not old enough to join me at classes in the local Academy. She was my favorite sister and though I loved all my siblings, my love for Sayuri was greater. She was just adorable with her big eyes, her hair so long it didn't take much before it became unkempt, her bangs always falling over and covering her eyes. Mom had given up trying to style her silky hair and now it just framed her small face. My baby sister was kind and gentle, always laughing and always acting silly. She made me happy and somehow she would always manage to pull me along for one of her childish games and because we were in the middle, not old enough to make our own decisions and not young enough to be babied, we clung to each other as if for dear life.

"That's different." I said in my best matter-of-fact voice.

Mom smiled again and nodded. "I see."

It was then that her bedroom door slid open and as if summoned, Sayuri padded in, yawning and clutching her teddy bear under her arm. She was fresh from her hour nap and she looked it, her hair askew, sleep still in her eyes.

"Sayuri!" I giggled, pouncing out of the bed and running toward her. She giggled as we embraced and my mother stared at us warmly, her eyes twinkling.

"Miyu!" Sayuri yawned and together we turned to face our mother who was chuckling.

"Alright you two." She said and curled a finger at me. I ran toward the edge of her bed and looked up at her eagerly as she leaned forward to brush my hair behind my ear.

"I have a very special mission for you today, Miyuki." My mom said.

"A mission?! Really?" I asked, bouncing up and down with excitement. Sayuri padded to my side, shaking her head.

"Mommy do I have a mission too?" She asked. "Don't forget about me!"

"I have a special one for you too, Sayuri." Mom said with an edge of seriousness to her voice. Sayuri brightened and we leaned forward, waiting.

"Miyuki, I need you to go and pick up my medicine from the doctor's house." Mom said and then she looked at Sayuri. "Sayuri, I need you to watch the house until your father comes home later on tonight."

It was so much responsibility. The doctor's office was on the other side of the island and such a journey with legs as short as mine would take nearly half the day which would also be the same length of time our father would return. Sayuri would be alone all that time, in charge of caring for our younger siblings and I could see this registering in her head. We nodded, dedication burning in our eyes. We had liked to think we were grown-ups and were always arguing that we were never treated as such but this, this proved that we were and we both knew that we couldn't mess up.

"I'll leave right away." I said, pushing off the bed and giving my mom a stern nod.

"I'll go and make lunch." Sayuri said, her teddy bear sliding to the floor beside her.

It was a light memory, one that never failed to bring a smile to my face but what came after it always made me sick to my stomach. I had been late, taken too much time walking to the doctor's house that I had lost track of time. I had reached his house by nightfall and remembered breaking down into ugly sobs on his doorstep as I told him how much I hated myself for stopping to look at the flowers and playing with animals. He had merely chuckled and consoled me and handed me my mother's bag of medicine. I had vowed to make it back home before dinner, hoping that when I got back if I couldn't get praise for being prompt, at least Sayuri would be praised for her caretaking.

I had made it back to my house with the moon high in the sky. Our home, a compound away from the village, nestled on top of what I had always called a mountain but was in fact just a really high hill, stood tall. I had struggled up the hill, slipping several times but when I reached the top, I remembered the sharp chill that snaked up my spine. Suddenly, the air was colder, the breeze harsher and each step I had taken toward my house, the more daunting it became. This impenetrable and darkened fortress whose high windows and archways made me think of monsters lurking in the shadows. I was sure as I set foot in our yard that everyone was asleep and that was why it was so quiet and why it felt like my feet crunching in the grass were echoing throughout the yard.

I stepped into the house and sniffed, smelling something crisp and burning in the air. It smelled fresh enough and I ran into the kitchen expecting to see my parents standing over the stove trying to see if whatever my father had made this time was still edible. But, the kitchen was empty and a complete mess. The table was turned onto its side, the chairs overturned and flipped. There had been food on the table and it was caked to the floor and walls. It had been a great struggle and I made out tiny footprints smushed into the food, tiny trails leading to the hall. I followed them, my body turning as a crack of thunder boomed in the sky and I froze, something catching my eye. There was something red splashed on the wall, something crimson, and as my eyes looked down I made out a small, limp body lying on its side and my eyes widened.

"N-Nomaru!" I screamed as another clap of thunder cracked through the sky. I raced to his side, turning over my older brother and finding his eyes wide with shock, his mouth open. He was cold, ice cold. I slapped his cheek lightly before pulling at the fabric of his shirt. I begged him to answer me, to tell me what had happened but he stared up at something beyond me, his eyes empty.

That was when I heard it, something crashing and a sharp scream that made my skin crawl. I jumped up, tears threatening to spill over in my eyes and listened, frozen.

"Miyuki!" Sayuri's sharp cry echoed through the house and my eyes widened at the sound in her voice, at the desperation, at a fear so powerful it made my body shake. I ran then, not even thinking, not even caring. I needed to find her, needed to help her. My sister had never called me by my name and I had always thought up until that night that it was just some childish inability that she would grow out of over time. But, it was different this time.

I ran through the house, a sick feeling twisting in my stomach as her cries continued and the sounds of bloodshed filled my eardrums. I didn't understand what was happening, didn't register any of it until later, all that I was passing. The blood splattered on the walls, the bodies of my brothers and sisters thrown around like ragdolls. One sharp turn down the hallway to the playroom revealed my father's body, slumped to the side, something silver sticking out from his throat.

I raced past him and burst into the playroom, pushing the door aside as another round of thunder cracked through the sky, illuminating the room. It was empty, but everything was overturned and broken. I hesitated in the doorway, my eyes scanning the darkness. I didn't want to take another step and just as I was finding the courage, something shifted and I froze. I screamed as something ran toward me, barreling into me with such a force, it knocked me off of my feet and together we fell back into the grassy yard.

"Miyuki!" Sayuri sobbed breathlessly into my chest, her body shaking, her clothes dirtied with the same crimson that had been on the walls, that was dripping down our father's neck.

"Sayuri." I breathed, hugging her close.

"Mama's dead!" She sobbed. "Mama's dead."

I had never known of death before. It had always seemed like such a foreign concept and something that wouldn't happen for a long, long time. It also felt like something that couldn't touch me, that I and the ones that I loved were immune from. I lifted my hands, finding my palms covered in dry crimson and remembered a time when I had fallen and scraped my knee. I remembered seeing my blood bubbling through the cut and I remembered the sharp pain that came with it, that made me feel like my leg was numb. Father had called me dramatic but I had argued that it had hurt a lot. Now the blood was seeping out of him, just like it had been pooling around the bodies of my brothers and sisters, and now it was all over my hands. Their blood. _Their blood._ I screamed and pushed away from Sayuri, struggling to wipe the stain of blood from my palms as my tears spilled over. I rubbed at my thighs until my palms burned, but no matter how much I rubbed, the crimson remained.

"Miyu?" Sayuri sniffed and I looked at her, really looked at her with my wide eyes.

Her own face was spotted with blood and her hair was disheveled. Her small face was twisted up with worry and fear and she was still crying. I knew then, that I had to do something. I hadn't graduated from the Academy but I knew then that this was real life, that this was the real deal. I grabbed Sayuri, pulling her to her feet and together we darted back down the hall, past our father and brothers and sisters.

"Miyu!" Sayuri panted behind me but I didn't listen. I kept on running, gripping her tiny hand in mine, squeezing the warmth back into it. My legs ached from all the running but I kept pushing forward, my heart slamming in my chest, bile rising in my throat. There was no stopping until we were out of this house.

We made it out just as the thunder rolled through the sky faster and I jumped off the porch, landing hard on my ankle and felt a fiery pain snake through my leg. I cried out and fell two steps after landing. Sayuri rushed to my side, her tiny hands rubbing my back as she asked me what was wrong.

I groaned, a hand reaching back and wrapping around my ankle and slowly, I pushed myself up and looked at it, at the stretch of blackness beginning to form. At worst I had sprained it and though this would be difficult coming down the hill, I knew I had to suck it up, be the grown up I had always wanted so desperately to be. I pushed myself up, Sayuri watching in awe, and I grabbed her hand, pulling her back to her feet.

"We have to keep moving." I said and began walking again as a sting of fiery pain shot up my leg with each step.

"Miyu! I want Mama! I want Mama!" Sayuri sobbed and sniffed, tears streaming down her face as she pulled at my sleeve with her free hand.

We were starting down the hill when it began to rain, lightly at first, but enough to make the dirt turn to mud beneath our feet. We were slipping and sliding and it was only a matter of time until I slid clean off my feet.

"Miyuki!" My sister cried, rushing to my side. I pushed myself up when something fell from above, landing beside us. We blinked, Sayuri and I until we recognized it thanks to the light from the thunder.

"Teddy!" Sayuri cried and threw herself at the raggedy-eared bear, pulling it close. It was then that I heard it, the sound of something cutting through the air and as I turned I could see a silver flash heading toward us.

"Sayuri!" I screamed and grabbed her by the back of her shirt, pulling her toward me just as the kunai hit the ground. She slammed into me and I felt my body fall back. Together we rolled into the bushes and down the steep hill, only stopping at the bottom. I pushed myself up immediately and reached for Sayuri who was still clutching her bear to her chest. She sniffed again, writhing under my touch as I pulled her up into a sitting position, my hands on her shoulders.

"We're going to be okay." I breathed.

She coughed and looked at me with fresh tears glistening in her eyes. It was a haunting look, my baby sister covered in blood and dirt, sobbing and all I could remember thinking was how it was all my fault. If I hadn't gotten distracted, if I had hurried to the doctor's and back I would have been able to save everyone. I would have been able to protect them somehow.

Thunder boomed through the sky and Sayuri shivered at the sound, her eyes burning into mine. I knew in that moment she knew we would. The worst was over, the storm just passing. Whatever horrors she had gone through in that house was behind her, behind us. We had each other and that was all that mattered and would have been what our parents wanted. We were survivors.

I was pulling her toward me, was ready to hug her when a dark chuckle sounded from above. I froze and slowly looked up just as two bodies jumped down from the treetops, landing silently just behind Sayuri. My eyes widened as I took them in, the vicious look in the woman's dark purple eyes and the sadistic curl of a smile on the man's lips. I knew them and I remembered them, but my voice was lost as the woman lifted her sword.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?" The woman asked, her voice as hard as steel but as entrancing as a slithering snake. She was a beast of a woman with a crazed look in her eye and her onyx hair askew, coming down in jagged pieces to her shoulders. The man was sinister, a faint scar running along the left side of his face, from his forehead down past his eye. His hair was neat and wavy, styled accordingly and he stood with his hands in his pockets, smiling down at us.

"Wh-wa—"

The woman brought her sword down and my eyes widened just as a scream left my lips. It happened quickly, nothing but a silver blur. I gasped, my body trembling as Sayuri continued to stare at me but the moment it had happened, her expression had changed. I held my breath, waiting until her body slid forward but the blood came first, spewing out of her and onto me. I screamed, ripping my hands away from her body as it hit the floor, her head rolling off, her mouth open, her eyes holding the same unreachable look as Nomaru's had.

I screamed again, this one coming from the very bottom of my lungs. I screamed as the thunder turned to lightening, until my throat felt like it was in ribbons. I struggled to put as much distance between Sayuri and I but her eyes followed me, her empty and hollow eyes remaining locked on me. The man laughed, vicious and cruel as the woman smiled down at me.

"Why?!" I screamed at them with the little voice I had left.

"Because we are the Deliverers of Death." The woman said as the man fell silent beside her.

"And your card was up." The man finished and he stepped toward me, pulling a sword from his belt.

I held my breath, my hands pulling at the grass. I knew I wouldn't be much of a fight, but I refused to let them kill me too and I refused to die knowing that I had done nothing to stop them, that I hadn't even attempted anything. Dying and standing by meant I would lose to them and even though I knew I would lose regardless, I at least had the authority that dictated how it would go down. He was bringing his sword down when I rolled to the side, avoiding the hit. His sword pierced the ground and the woman chuckled, her eyes cutting into me.

"Miyuki, don't make this difficult." She said.

"If the others could accept their fates, so can you." The man said, pulling his sword out.

I shook my head and began making hand signs. I sucked in a deep breath.

"Fire Style! Fireball Jutsu!" The man scoffed in response and both he and the woman jumped out of the way. I was reaching back for the small dagger my father had given me, the one I always kept on me, when the woman appeared in front of me and her hand clamped down on my shoulder. My eyes widened at her touch and just behind her was the man, his sword pulling back, the muscles in his arms tensing. My eyes cut over to Sayuri's body on the ground, her blood pooling under her. I caught sight of my outstretched hand, covered in her blood, my palm open as if I could somehow stop the attack, stop the inevitable.

"This…this is how you die." The woman said in my ear, her breath hot as it washed over my neck. My eyes widened even more as the man plunged his sword through my chest and a choked sound escaped my throat. It had been as fast as lightening and I felt the heavy pain in my chest reach an all-time high just as the rain began to fall harder.

I remembered falling back, landing in the mud and gasping for air, panic rising. The woman stared down at me, her face expressionless, her eyes empty. It was then that it struck me, how much like my mother she looked, and how if she could ever manage to get rid of the dark look in her eyes, she would look just like her. I looked up at the man with the cruel smirk who was chuckling as he pulled his sword out of my chest. He looked the most like my father, a man of pride and honor. A man who kept to himself and had been blown away by my mother's beauty. But the man before me was the furthest from my father, a dark outsider who inflicted pain. Always angry, always bitter, and always cruel.

"Father said bravery makes a shinobi. He said that was the burden every shinobi carried within them, the weight of bravery, the weight of what their bravery led them to do, and the weight that their bravery cost them." The man said, helping the woman to her feet.

"Father knew nothing of bravery, though." The woman continued. "Bravery is finding the courage to do what no one else can do and what comes after doing it doesn't make you a shinobi. That's called living."

"But father didn't know any better." The man said and looked up toward the night sky. "That was why he had to die and watch his family burn with him."

"Useless traditions guided this clan." The woman said, her eyes narrowing down at me. "And it ends with you."

The man pulled his sword from his chest and I felt a rush of blood shoot up to my mouth. I coughed and it came out, warm and iron-y as it dribbled down the corners of my mouth.

"The world is dark." The man said. "And you will die never being able to see the light."

"Goodbye, little sister."

That was when the lightening crackled and the thunder boomed and the rain came down ever faster and harder. That was when the distant smell of smoke filled my nostrils and as I turned my head weakly toward the house I could see it, in flames. Everything I had, everything I was, was burning to the ground and I felt it then, the weight of that empty spot in my heart. I could feel myself falling deeper into the darkness around me and could barely see through the blurriness in my eyes.

I was dying. I could feel it in my bones as my eyes fluttered closed, as their words made one final round in my head. _Bravery. Traditions. Darkness_. There was a burden in all of it, in everything, even death. Living meant taking in breaths that those before you could never take. Death meant knowing you had failed, reminded you of all you could have done. Bravery was what stood between them both, an impossible force that could either drive you or be your end. Bravery was waking up each day and making the most of it and Bravery was dying knowing that you had simply done your best, not everything, but your best. Bravery meant staring out into this dark, dark world and finding the light in any shape and form.

I was losing consciousness as I realized they were wrong, that the words my father preached were rooted in the truth. Bravery was a key part of being a shinobi, whose life was always teetering somewhere in the middle. But, there was something else too.

Bravery didn't just make the shinobi, it _was_ the shinobi.


	12. Chapter 12: An Epiphany at Ichiraku's!

**Chapter 12:**

The sun began peeking out from the treetops, spilling over the streets of Konoha, forming shadows with the tall buildings. As the sunlight reached the apartment, it illuminated everything in its path and the moment it touched my feet, I felt a warmth rush up my legs, through my stomach, up my arms, ending just at the top of my head.

We were staring at each other, our bodies on their sides, our heads on our arms. He was serious as his eyes searched mine and I realized that I had no idea how long we had been that way. I just knew that after my story ended, after I revealed my painful, heart-wrenching past, I had turned to face him again and he had been in that position. I had mirrored it and the silence had drifted between us but it was a comfortable one. But, I also knew that that it wouldn't last long. At one point or another, something had to be said whether it be a form of acknowledgment or a shifting of positions and I had a feeling that it was going to be me. I could feel my arm falling asleep and I was uncomfortable. But, I also didn't want to be the first to move.

He shifted then, turning onto his back before getting up from the bed altogether. I watched him and sat up, stretching out my arm as I watched him move into the kitchen. He braced himself on the countertop, his eyes trained at a spot near the center. I stared at him, studying the tension in his jaw, the sharpness in his eyes. I had never wanted to be able to read someone's mind the way I wanted to read his and I found that feeling becoming stronger inside of me, the desire building and building until his eyes cut over to me sharply and everything inside of me froze.

That look, that dark look of his was still the same, just as icy as all the other looks before it and felt just as hard as a slap to the face. It confused me. After everything, that was the look he was choosing to lead with?

"Wh-what?" I asked, finding my voice.

He took a breath before answering, his eyes seeming to search the counter for something, and I assumed it was a place to start.

"They're all gone." He said, but something told me it was meant to be more of a question.

"Ye-yeah." I looked down at my lap, rubbing my hands back and forth as a distant ache shot across my chest. I reached up, smoothing my fingers over the scar left from the blade. It was a distant scar, barely visible, but that was the thing with scars. Even when the world couldn't see it, the person with them always could.

"And you know about the Uchiha—"

"I know all about your clan." I cut him off and glanced at him. "I read about it in school."

A snarky smile crossed his lips before he looked away from me, his hair blocking his face. "Of course."

"It wasn't much." I said, sliding off the bed and starting toward him. "There's more information in our books about Hashirama, the first Kage, than anything else but it's more about the legacy of the cl—"

"I get it." He said, his voice clipped as he turned his head back to me. He was glaring, mouth stern, his lips turning down a little at the corners.

I flinched and nodded slowly as I reached the counter and placed a hand on it's cool surface. I had thought telling him my story would ease his anger, would show him that if no one else understood him, I at least had the possibility of understanding. But it had backfired, throwing back in my face and for the life of me I couldn't understand why. What was with him? What was he not seeing?

"I'm going to avenge them." Sasuke said, his gaze turning back to the counter. "I've already decided."

I didn't say anything. I had seen it in his eyes, the distant flare for revenge, but also the acceptance that it would be quite some time until he was able to go up against the man that had wiped his entire clan off the map and left him behind. I had thought of revenge too until I asked myself what would I get once it was done. The satisfaction would be fleeting, but in the end it wouldn't bring Sayuri back or my mother or my other siblings. Nothing would happen, life would simply go on and I'd feel just as lonely as I had before, if not more because my sole purpose in life would be gone.

"You have the right to do whatever you need to." I managed softly before sliding my hands closer to his. "But, make sure it's what you really want."

He glanced at me and I grabbed his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. His gaze turned down to our hands and he held it there for a few moments before he slid his hand away and gave me his back.

I felt my lips turn down at the sides but got the message that for now, I had exceeded my welcome. I inhaled and turned, steering myself toward the front door. Slipping on my shoes, I shot him one final look, half expecting him to stop me again as I reached for the door. But my hand wrapped around the knob and I turned it, the door popping open. I pulled it open but still he didn't stop me. I told myself he wasn't stopping me because he was still caught up in the memories of his clan being ripped away from me, my own story turning over in his head. I told myself that he was just overwhelmed by it all, that he wasn't aware. But, either way I walked out of his apartment and shut the door behind me and I waited for a few breaths. I actually waited for him to open the door again, to let me in, to tell me that we were the same. To tell me that we understood each other's pain.

But, he didn't. He didn't come for me, or call out to me from his balcony. In fact, Sasuke Uchiha managed to blow my mind completely by letting me walk away.

…

"Back off Ino-pig!"

"Watch it Billboard Brow!"

I had been in the middle of a crowded street when I heard Sakura's voice, loud and agitated and turned just in time to see her glaring at a blonde girl.

"Sakura?" I called, earning her attention.

"Mi-Miyuki." Sakura greeted weakly. The blonde turned and arched an eyebrow as I approached them.

I looked her over, a decently pretty girl with long, blonde hair that ended just at her waist. She had blue eyes and a fair face and I could tell just by looking at her that she was more self-involved than Sakura. In terms of grooming, she looked too pretty to be a kunoichi. Sakura was always brushing her hair and gushing over Sasuke. In the short time I had known her, she only trained when the team was called together.

"Something wrong?" I asked, looking between them.

Sakura turned away from me to glare at the blonde girl who glared right back at her, her jaw clenched.

"I was trying to buy ingredients for this new juice cleanse I wanted to try when Ino-pig called me fat."

The blonde girl scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Oh please! My exact words were: 'There's no use trying to lose wait when you're already as big as a house. Sasuke only likes thing girls, which he already has looking at me'!"

To this Sakura's cheeks flamed up and her glare deepened and her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides.

"There's nothing about you that's skinny not with those chubby cheeks of yours?!" Sakura growled.

"Yeah, well lose some weight in that forehead of yours and then go looking for Sasuke!" The blonde snapped right back and before I knew it, the two were going at it like cats and dogs, clearly forgetting they were causing a scene and that I was standing right in front of them.

"You're doing all this for Sasuke?" I asked. "How do you know what kinds of girls he likes?"

The blonde looked at me. "It's obvious Sasuke needs someone as cool and perfect as him. That means he needs the perfect body type, an _equally_ proportioned body type at best. Not some girl whose forehead is so big it looks like she's about to tip-over."

"Grr Ino!" Sakura growled. "He needs someone who also doesn't have thighs as big as a house either!"

"Hey Sakura!" Naruto's voice called. I turned just in time to see him jog up to us, a blush on his cheeks as he waved at her. But, she was more focused on Ino than him.

"Umm…Sakura?" Naruto asked.

Ino and Sakura both turned to scowl at him. "Shut up Naruto! We're busy!" They both shouted before going back to glare at each other.

"Umm…I was just gonna ask if you wanted to come to Ichiraku's with me." Naruto said, his smile wide, his hand reaching back to scratch his head.

"No!" Sakura snapped and it sounded almost like a reflex. Naruto stiffened before groaning as Sakura pushed the blonde girl back and she did the same to her and vice versa.

"Ugh! You're so annoying Billboard Brow!" The blonde growled.

"Like you're any better you Pig!" Sakura snapped.

Suddenly they were back at it, firing off insult after insult and slowly, Naruto turned to face me.

"Are they always like this?" I asked.

Naruto shrugged. "Pretty much. It's always about Sasuke too." He pouted, folding his arms over his chest. "He's not that great. He's definitely not better than me. Believe it!"

I giggled and nodded. "I'm sure he isn't."

Naruto nodded as if that was all the confirmation he needed and sighed, rubbing his stomach. "Alright, well I better get to Ichiraku's."

"What is that?" I asked as he started to walk past me.

His eyes widened. "Only the best ramen shop in town!"

I nodded, feeling a distant rumble ripple through my belly. I was hungry and remembered I hadn't even had any dinner last night. I could feel it then, a sudden wave of dizziness. I needed something in my stomach and ramen was as good a meal as any.

"Can…can I come?" I asked, feeling unsure suddenly around Naruto of all people.

He brightened. "Of course!"

Moments later we were breaking apart our chopsticks, and as I lifted some noodles and blew on them to cool off, Naruto dug in.

"Eat up." The shop owner smiled. "It's the least I can do for my star customer."

I smiled as Naruto practically swallowed his bowl of ramen and I had hardly touched mine.

"Another round, old man." Naruto grinned, some ramen residue on his upper lip.

"Coming right up!" The shop owner grinned.

I giggled. "You really like this don't you?"

"It's the greatest!" Naruto trilled. "Don't you think so?"

I nodded as I took my first bite. It was good and I had gotten the barbeque flavor.

"So Naruto, I've been meaning to ask you some questions." I said.

"Go for it." Naruto said.

"I feel like we've never really spoken, away from the others at least." I said as the shop owner set a fresh bowl before him and his eyes quite literally sparkled.

"But, I notice how you act around Sakura and I was wonder—"

"HA! I HAVE YOU NOW BOSS!" Naruto and I froze before slowly turning only to see a little boy with spiky brown hair and a unique helmet running toward us. His scarf looked like a long blue train and it floated behind him like a cape almost. I was mystified, unsure where the kid even came from but I recognized him as he jumped in the air, a fist raised to strike. He was the little boy from our first day in the village, the one Kankuro had been bullying until Naruto stepped in to defend him. Kono-something or another.

He was flying through the air but had miscalculated his jump. He had jumped too early and didn't realize it until it was too late, until he was going on and then it registered that he was nowhere near Naruto. He landed face first on the ground and when he tried to get up, he tripped on his scarf, and got his legs tangled in it.

"I keep telling you kid you have to stop wearing that scarf." Naruto said, his voice low, his eyes skeptive. "You're gonna get yourself killed."

The boy groaned as he pushed himself up to a sitting position, sweat dotting his forehead as he nodded slowly at Naruto. He was missing a tooth and he couldn't have been older than seven.

"That was good, boss. A trick well played. Just what I'd expect from a skilled ninja like yourself."

Naruto's lips turned down and the look on his face changed to one of pure confusion. "Konohomaru…I didn't do anything."

"So modest!" Konohomaru, or Kono, as I remembered hearing Naruto call him that day.

Kono's eyes landed on me and he flushed, inching carefully toward Naruto.

"Boss! Who's she?" Kono asked.

"Huh?" Naruto looked up at me and smiled before looking back down at Kono. "This is Miyuki."

"Ohhh…" Kono said before he blushed a sharp scarlet color and leaned up toward Naruto. "Boss…is she like your friend or like your _friend_?"

It was mean to be a whisper but I heard it without even trying. I stifled a giggle as Naruto blinked, clearly wondering what Kono meant until it all clicked and he turned just as red as Kono had.

"Huh? Oh no! She's...Miyuki's not…no…we're not…uhh I mean she's really…no…we're not…" Naruto stuttered which made me laugh even more.

Kono nodded and hopped back between us, shooting me a look before holding up his pinky. "Good because boss is taken anyway."

I propped an elbow on the table and and held the side of my head as I looked down at Kono and then shot a curious look at Naruto. "Taken? As in he has a girlfriend?"

Naruto flushed again and Kono chuckled.

"Yeah he's dating that pink-haired chick! I think she's flat-chested and has a big fore—" Naruto slapped a hand over his mouth before he could finish but I was already laughing.

"He's not…it's not what…Sakura and I—"

I patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Congrats, Naruto. I had no idea." I realized then that it was possible that I had misread Sakura. Maybe she wasn't boy crazy. Maybe all that primping was for Naruto and maybe all her talk and concern with Sasuke was because she cared about him.

Kono's voice was muffled over Naruto's hand but he was still speaking as Naruto tried to clear up whatever was said.

"No…Miyuki I…we're not…it's not like that." Naruto sighed and released Kono. He leaned toward me, his hand shooting up to hide his mouth from Kono.

"Sakura and I…we're not anything." He said.

I nodded, the hope I had built around Sakura crashing to the ground. "Oh…well then why does—"

"She just hasn't realized how awesome I am yet." Naruto said, crossing his arms. "She will once I beat that annoying Sasuke!"

"And you will boss!" Kono cheered.

Naruto slammed a fist on the counter, making our bowls rattle, some of our ramen juice slipping down the sides of our bowls. "And I will and then I'll become Hokage!"

I nodded. "Hokage, huh? Of the Leaf?"

Naruto nodded. "Yup! I'll become Hokage and then the whole village will stop disrespecting me and start treating me like I'm somebody important!"

I nodded as if I understood but knew the life of a Jinchūriki was complicated. I had caught glimpses of it when I had visited the Sand a few years back, when I had caught my first glance of Gaara in his finest. A secluded loner who sat perched high above the city with a heavy storm behind his eyes as people shot him cautious looks. I also knew it was different for everyone and had read in school that though Jinchūriki were normally feared, a few were known as heroes. In the end, it was both a curse and a blessing. I could only imagine what Naruto had gone through growing up and shuddered at the mere thought. The loneliness. The sadness. The hatred. I was surprised he was so optimistic, so light-hearted. I was surprised suddenly how far from Gaara Naruto was. If anything Sasuke acted more like Gaara than Naruto did.

"Good for you." I smiled. "I know you'll do it too."

He blushed before straightening.

"You're stronger than you think, Naruto." I said lifting another string of ramen into my mouth. "Never forget that."

He blinked at me as my words sank in and slowly, ever so slowly, he looked down at his hands. Kono nodded between us before back out at the streets.

"Boss, I just had to test to see if your guard was up." He said with a devilish grin. "But now that I see that it was I'll come back and play with you later." He ran off, disappearing into the crowd and Naruto chuckled under his breath before turning to me.

"Hey what were you going to ask me before?" He asked.

I nodded and looked down at my ramen bowl. "I was going to ask you about you and Sakura but you answered that but I was also wondering about you and Sasuke."

Naruto pouted. "He's annoying is what he is."

"Do you hate him?" I asked.

"He's my rival." Naruto said as he turned and stared down at his ramen bowl. "He's always been so popular, Mr. Big, Mr. Everything. Everyone always praises him like he's so epic but…but he's not so great and he's most certainly not better than me."

I nodded. "Rivals, huh?"

"I'm going to beat him." Naruto said. "On our last mission, on our Zabuza mission I froze up but now with these Chunin Exams I'm gonna prove to everyone that I'm better than him."

"You've been rivals your whole lives?"

Naruto seemed to think about this before shrugging it off completely. "He's always been pretentious, even when we were younger. Always walking around like he was better than everyone else."

I nodded as Naruto's expression turned sour.

"And Sakura likes that jerk, praises him just like Ino."

"Ino?"

"The girl she was fighting with." Naruto said before shaking his head. "She doesn't see anyone else but him and she thinks she gets him…she thinks…"

He shook it off and sighed before turning his head to shoot me a glance. I smiled down at him and a shaky smile spread across his lips.

I could see the pretentious part that teetered on arrogance. I could also see the praise, all the girl's praising an empty god, a boy that didn't seem to care about anyone or anything. I could imagine a young Naruto calling him out in the middle of recess, calling him his greatest rival. I could imagine their fights, Naruto eating dirt each time, but learning, becoming just a twinkle bit stronger but still eating dirt each time. I knew at some point it was going to become frustrated but that wouldn't be until he realized it.

"Why do you ask?" Naruto asked as he started eating his ramen. I smiled softly before dipping my chopsticks into my bowl.

"I just wanted to know. I feel like I know so much about you and Sakura but Sasuke is just a complete mystery to me. I feel like he doesn't like me or something."

"He doesn't like anyone." Naruto mumbled and I laughed while feeling the burning ache at the pit of my stomach about how spot on he was.

"I guess." I said and then chewed my bottom lip as Naruto downed yet another bowl of ramen.

"But that can't be just it." I said. "No one can go through life like that. There has to be someone or something in his life."

"His reflection." Naruto snorted, sounding like Kyoske.

I almost laughed but pushed it behind me as I slammed my chopsticks on the table and slid off my stool.

"Huh? Something wrong?" Naruto asked.

I smiled at him. "I just remembered something. I'm so sorry! But, I have something to do. Catch you later?"

Naruto blinked and was about to say something else when I took off, running as fast as my legs could carry me back to Sasuke's apartment. All the words I wanted to say to him pooled on my tongue and I was ready with each step I took. I made it back to his apartment just a few minutes later, arriving at his doorstep a big, sweating and panting mess. I lifted a fist and hit it against the door, big, pounding knocks and finally after the fifth one, the door swung open and there he was with a hard glare in his eyes as he took me in.

I sucked in a breath, my speech ready to be released until I realized it was too long. There was a simpler way of putting all I had to say. I balled my hands into tight fists by my sides and I shot him a hard look, one that I wished would come close to his hard glare but knew never would.

"You think you're all alone, don't you?" I asked.

He said nothing, just continued to glare.

"You think you're all alone and that no one could care about you, that no one is there for you but you're wrong." I said, stomping a foot on the ground for effect. "You're not alone. People do care. You want revenge? You can have that, that's your natural right to want that. But don't ignore what's in front of you either."

His eyes narrowed, the glare deepening.

"You treat everyone like they're beneath you." I said. "And maybe that's your way and all but…I know what you've gone through and I'm willing to bet there are others out there who feel the same way, who are probably even worse off. But they're not bitter and they're not cruel. They let people in and I can tell you right now that's going to be your downfall."

He stiffened at the last part and I knew I had him right where I wanted him even though his face wouldn't show it.

"I'm not asking you to change your mind." I said, my head shaking. "I'm just letting you know that you're not as alone as you think you are."

I didn't wait for him to respond and I most certainly didn't expect him to. I didn't even shoot another glance at his expression, I just turned and walked away.


	13. Chapter 13: The Chunin Exams Begin!

**Chapter 13:**

A few days later, my team found ourselves in a crowded waiting room with shinobi from around the country for the exams to begin. All of us, different strengths and styles, different personalities and passions, thrown into a room together. In less than a few hours we'd be stuck in an even bigger room, the weak minded weeded out before we'd be thrown into the Forest of the Death where the weak in body would either be killed or unable to make it to the tower.

We had spent the past few doing some mediocre training and also some research while Megumi-sensei continued to avoid us, coming into our room so quickly and disappearing even faster. It had also been a few days since I had laid eyes on Sasuke and I knew, given this exam, it was inevitable. We were bound to face each other eventually and I regretted it, unsure what he would say to me and yet able to imagine him spitting out hateful word after hateful word.

"Are we ready?" Hideki asked.

"Born ready." Kyoske grinned as he rolled his shoulders.

"Where's Naruto and the others?" I asked, craning my neck through the crowd. "You don't think they're running late do you?" The last thing I wanted to do was look so desperate but my mind was reeling with thoughts of him, a part of me just wanting to get it over with.

"If they are then they won't be able to take the exams." Kyoske said with a shrug. "No sweat off my back."

"It would be one less thing to worry about." Hideki said.

"But it would be harder to keep tabs on Uchiha if they are." I pointed out and both of them fell silent. Finally, after much peering and peeking, I found a flash of Naruto's orange jumpsuit and smiled, pointing him out in the crowd. "There they are!"

"There's a commotion of some k—" Hideki's words reeled to a stop as the crowd before us parted to give us a better view of the scene.

Sasuke darted forward, nothing but a blue blur and was seconds away from delivering a kick to some punk blocking a door when Rock Lee appeared, blocking their hits with his bare hands.

"Oh no." Kyoske said, running a hand through his hair. "Not them."

We ran forward then, pushing through the crowd until we were within earshot. We arrived just as Lee was looking right at Sakura who was sweating under his gaze a look of mixed terror and confusion on her face.

"Please be my girlfriend. I vow to protect you with my life!" Lee begged.

"You've got to be kidding me." Kyoske mumbled quietly.

"No!" Sakura shouted, disgusted as she stepped to Naruto's side. Naruto burst out laughing at Lee's rejection.

"Causing trouble, Lee?" Hideki said with a smirk.

Lee blinked at us for a moment before recognition lit his features. He raced toward us, taking my hands in his as he beamed.

"Miyuki! It is great to see you again! Kyoske, a pleasure. Hideki! Hideki!" Lee said and the two clasped the other's shoulders.

"Finally someone I actually like." Kyoske said.

"You know this bushy-browed freak?!" Sakura gasped, annoyance at her brow.

"Is there anyone you three don't know?" Sasuke said, and successfully managing to make his question sound more like an insult than anything else. I couldn't help but shoot him a glance. He seemed fine, the same actually. His glare still held the same level of intensity in it and his words were just as, if not more so, bitter.

"Don't hate because we're popular." Kyoske said, earning a glare from Sasuke.

"Hey you, what's your name?" Neji Hyuga stepped through the crowd with Tenten just a few steps behind him. She wore a smile on her face that deepened when she caught sight of us.

Sasuke turned around to face Neji.

"It's common courtesy to give your own name before asking for the names of others." Sasuke said.

"Burn." Kyoske muttered, earning an elbow to the ribs from Hideki.

"What did I say?!" Kyoske grunted.

Neji's eyes narrowed in response to Sasuke. "You're one of those Rookies aren't you? How old are you?"

"I'm not obliged to answer." Sasuke said, his voice cold.

"What's that?" Neji asked, an edge to his voice.

"See they just met and Uchiha already found a way to get under his skin." Kyoske chuckled.

"Grr! Why is it always about Sasuke?" Naruto grumbled. "Nobody ever wants to know my name.

I looked at him as Tenten giggled watching Neji and Sasuke go at it.

"Don't worry Naruto." I smiled. "Pretty soon everyone will want to know your name." It was all the support I could manage and after letting my words sink in, a smile returned to Naruto's face along with a blush.

"What are you three doing here?" Neji called to us, turning his glare away from Sasuke. Sasuke gave him his back as he too turned to face us. The small crowd that had gathered around us had long dispersed the moment they realized the fight wasn't going to continue. People were heading in every direction around us, some down the registration hallway and the others toward the classroom.

"Don't tell me you're in the Exams too." Tenten giggled again, coming to Neji's side.

Kyoske shrugged. "I mean at least now we get to have a fair fight, right?"

"In your dreams." Neji said, which made Kyoske's eyes narrow.

"Hi Tenten." I said with a nod. She gave me a small wave before putting her hands on her hips.

"Hey Naruto! Sasuke! Let's get out of here." Sakura said and took the two boys by their wrists, pulling them down the hallway. She turned to shoot us a smile. "See you guys inside!"

We managed a nod as the three of them walked down the hall and Sasuke grumbled for her to stop pulling him.

"You three haven't changed." Neji said, taking a step toward us.

"Shame we can't say the same for you, huh?" Kyoske said with a chuckle.

"Still a joker." Tenten smiled softly.

"Don't support him." Neji said.

"You'll never guess who else is here." Hideki said.

"Who?" Neji grumbled. "What is this some sort of twisted reunion?"

"Who is it?" Tenten asked, her eyes widening with interest.

"The Sand." Hideki said.

They fell silent and I watched as Neji's hands balled into tight fists at his sides. "That better be a joke."

"It's not." I said.

"That is great!" Lee said but it was clear that he had no idea who we were talking about. During our mission together, Lee had gotten separated from the group and in our search for him we had bumped into the Sand Genin. While our team had known them, it was Neji and Tenten's first time meeting them and it was beyond pleasant. Harsh words were exchanged and Neji and Gaara had been on the brink of going at it if I hadn't stepped in, convincing the two of them that it was not the time. But, nothing was stopping them here especially when we got into that forest.

"Things just got interesting." Neji said. "Now I have him and that boy to look forward to fighting."

"Uchiha?" Kyoske asked. "Back up, Hyuga! He's mine!"

"Well then I guess we'll see when we get into the Forest of Death, won't we?" Neji said with a sarcastic smirk on his lips. With that he started walking past us and Tenten giggled before following after him.

They were halfway down the hall when we all realized Lee wasn't following behind them.

"Lee! C'mon! We have to check-in." Tenten called.

"I will catch up with you in a minute. You do not need to wait for me. I just want to check something." Lee answered. He went in the opposite direction of his team and started down the hall where the other Leaf shinobi had gone down. Tenten watched him go, light worry knitting her brow before she let out a sigh and shrugged.

"What do you think that was about?" I asked Hideki.

"I don't know when it comes to Lee." Kyoske said, stretching. "But I don't really care either."

"It's probably about him trying to get Sakura's hand." Hideki said. "C'mon, let's go register."

"I'll be right behind you guys." I said and pointed to the bathroom down the hall. "I need to freshen up first."

The boys nodded and started after Neji and Tenten. The moment they were out of eyeshot, I ran after Lee. I was getting close when I bumped into Temari who was rounding a corner.

"Oh!" Temari said, surprise lighting her eyes but settling when she realized it was just me. "Miyuki."

"Hey." I said and then craned my neck down the hall. "Did you see Lee pass by here?"

"Don't tell me that bushy-eyed freak and his squad are here too." Temari sighed dryly. "There's only so many throwbacks I can handle in a day."

I shot her a hard look.

"I'm kidding."

I glared.

"Hardly." Temari sighed, waving a hand through the air. "Anyway, how are you feeling?"

"I don't have time for this." I said, moving past her until she reached out and grabbed my arm. I looked back at her.

"What are you chasing after? Your little boyfriend?" Temari asked, her eyes dark.

I glared at her again. "He's _not_ my boyfriend."

"Then why are you looking for Lee who just so happens to have gone after your little boyfriend too?"

I clenched my teeth together. "Must be coincidence."

"Seems too good to be true." Temari said and released me. "Answer the question."

"I'm fine." I grumbled. "Tired, but fine."

Temari didn't seem to buy it and looked down at her wounded arm which I was sure by now was beginning to scab over. "I'm doing fine, thanks for asking."

"Good." I muttered.

Temari nodded before leaning against the wall.

"He's worried about you." I knew instantly who she was referring too and though it would be hard for people to believe that Gaara cared for anyone, the fact that he hadn't killed me yet spoke wonders and it wasn't like he didn't have tons of opportunities to do so.

"Does he tell you these things late at night?" I asked.

Temari's eyes narrowed. "Watch it."

"I don't need you three babysitting me. I can handle myself." I said. "Now if you'll excuse me—"

"The Uchiha is cute, I'll give him that." Temari said, folding her arms. "But he's dangerous, desperate almost."

"Sounds familiar." I mumbled.

Temari smirked and closed her eyes. "He's a card but Gaara has a point. There's something in his eyes."

"We're the same." I said. "We've gone through the same thing."

"He's broken is what he is." Temari said. "I say you find a new crush in that idiot on their team and call it a day."

My hands balled into tight fists at my sides.

"You can't fix broken things." Temari said, her eyes opening with a tone of seriousness in them.

I didn't have a comeback for that one. Broken? Uchiha? There was something there, something dark and angry and sinister, but there was still that flicker of hope too. A possibility of finding something good amidst the sea of bad.

"No, but you can try and sometimes it's the effort that counts." I said before turning and starting down the hall.

For once, she had no comment and when I glanced back at her, I found her spot empty. She was gone. I felt a small swell of victory in my chest and couldn't help the satisfied smirk that spread across my lips. Triumph, this is what Kyoske was always feeling off of when he had made an actual point.

"SASUKE!"

I froze, my heart stilling in my chest. It was Sakura's voice screaming out for him and I ran after it, hoping for the best but fearing the worst. So much worry in her voice and the sound of her scream brought up the memory of tears streaming down her cheeks. I burst into a spacious room that led to the outside corridor and gripped the railing, starting for the stairs until I saw the scene below. Naruto slumped against the wall, holding the back of his head, Sakura helping an injured Sasuke to his feet, Rock Lee's bandages being held down by a spinning toy and a giant turtle standing beside Lee who was bowing to to the turtle, begging forgiveness.

"His sensei's a turtle?!" Naruto screeched.

Sasuke looked up, sweat dotting his forehead, his cheek a little bruised and the Sharingan in his eyes. A cold chill washed over me as I stared into his eyes, the memory of the girl with the red eyes and Kakashi's Sharingan rolling around in my head. I started down the steps and made it to the bottom just as the turtle revealed Gai, Lee's team's captain, posed as he usually was, glistening teeth, bowl-shaped haircut, jutted hip, etc. It never failed to make me laugh lightly, as it did now which forced all eyes to land on me.

"Miyuki." Naruto said, surprised.

"Miyuki!?" Gai greeted, making a show of jumping off of the turtle to take my hand. "Where you are, so is your beautiful sensei, am I right?" Gai said with a wink that sent chills down my spine.

"I really think after all this time she's still not interested." I said.

Gai pulled his hands away to give another pose and laughed confidently to himself. "I'm a changed man, Miyuki. Wait till she gets a load of me again."

"So you've seen her?" I asked, scratching the back of my head.

"Of course I have. At the announcement of Chunin Exams contenders where she revealed you and your team would be participating." Gai said with a wink.

I nodded, trying to hide the fact that I was bothered knowing Gai had probably seen more of my sensei than I had. But then there was the image of her standing in the same room as the White Fang and I was suddenly desperate to find out that story. I shifted my gaze away from Gai before looking at Sasuke and the others. "You alright? What happened?"

"Lee here thought it would be a good idea to try and reveal his most prized moves before the fights even begin." Gai said, grabbing Lee in a tight headlock that if it weren't for Lee's amazing sense of stamina would've made anyone else cry.

"Forgive me Gai-sensei!" Lee managed.

"These guys are weirdos." Sakura whispered.

"Tell me about it." Naruto whispered back.

"Lee why don't you lead these fine young ninja to the classroom immediately." Gai said, appearing behind and not failing to unnerve the Leaf Rookies by appearing behind them and flashing a toothy grin. With that, Gai disappeared along with his turtle, leaving us alone.

"You started a fight?" I asked Lee as I walked beside him and caught him re-bandaging his heavily battered hand.

Lee nodded before turning to look up at Sasuke who was glaring at him.

"I have not been totally honest with you, Sasuke. I wanted to test my abilities, but it was not on you." Lee said.

 _Neji_ , I thought. Hyuga and Uchiha, two legendary clans with promising members. Neji tested everyone's buttons and was so dry and straightforward, it often rubbed people the wrong way. Lee was over the top, swearing by Gai's extreme Taijutsu and while that was admirable especially when his other skills were close to zero, Neji and Lee were like water and oil. Unable to mix, just forced to keep quiet when the other spoke.

"I came here to fight him, someone on my own team. Now, you are our opponent and I want you to know that I will crush you." Lee said before jumping up to the landing above and disappearing down the hall.

I looked after him before looking back at Sasuke and Naruto who looked unimpressed.

"Well, well, look at that. Guess the Uchiha clan isn't as great as everyone says they are." Naruto said.

A vein pulsed in Sakura's head as she turned to glare at Naruto. "Naruto!"

"Next time I'll bring him to his knees." Sasuke growled, a dark storm behind his eyes.

Naruto still didn't seem impressed. "Coming from the guy who just got his butt kicked."

"Naruto! Cut it out!" Sakura snapped.

Sasuke was seething as he took Naruto in and I could sense the tension in the air, sense that Sasuke was about ten seconds away from punching Naruto's teeth in.

"Didn't you see his hands?" Naruto asked, the same unimpressed expression on his face. "I bet old Bushy Brows trains day in and day out every day until he drops. He trains harder than you, that's for sure."

This seemed to shock something in Sasuke and it threw his anger off completely. He was shocked as he thought back and I remembered the sight of Lee's mangled hands, covered in bruises and cuts. Naruto was right. Lee trained harder than anyone I had ever known. He was strong and fast as a result and all of it was a token to how hard he worked to achieve it all. Blood, sweat and tears, and that was just the beginning.

"Fine." Sasuke said as he looked away, his fists trembling slightly. "This Chunin Exam is starting to get interesting. I can't wait to see what happens next."

Naruto smiled, breaking his expression as Sakura smiled with relief.

"Right." Naruto nodded before looking at me.

"Where's your team, Miyuki?" Naruto asked.

I smiled softly. "Registering."

"It's almost 3, Miyuki." Sakura said, worry knitting her brows together. "You better hurry and get yourself checked in."

I nodded and was about to turn to walk away when I stopped myself and looked back at them. "Word of advice for these exams?"

"Go for it." Naruto smiled.

"My team and I have taken this a few times." I said. "Each time is just as hard as the first but hold onto the reason you're all here and never let it go. You hold onto it and you can't lose. They can take a lot from you, but they can't take that."

Naruto and Sakura nodded appreciatively and were starting to walk away as Sasuke stepped toward me.

"So you got your butt kicked, huh?" I asked, making a light flush cross his cheeks. It was evident that he had gotten hit by Lee several times and I could see a small bump on his cheek beginning to form. I dug in my weapons pouch and pulled out an ointment Priestess Akane had helped me make a few days before the Land of Waves mission.

"Here." I said, handing him the small bottle.

"What is that?" Sasuke asked, eyeing it.

"It's an ointment, just dab a little on your cheek and it'll reduce the swelling." I smiled. "You can have it."

Sasuke took it from my hands and opened the bottle. He looked down at it as if it were something contagious but then he composed himself and looked up at me.

"Is this supposed to help me forget you disrespecting me at my house the other day?"

I swallowed but a lump had formed, making it difficult. I coughed, my body shaking with shock. I couldn't believe he had had the audacity and at the same time I scolded myself for allowing the shock in, for letting his words throw me off. I composed myself, flipping my hair over my shoulder as I fixed him with a stern look.

"If giving you my opinion counts as disrespect you should have said something that day." I said.

Sasuke's eyes flitted over me and I felt a light flush light my cheeks until his eyes met mine again.

"I doubt you would have apologized."

"For being real with you? For trying to open your eyes and get you to stop being so stubborn?"

"I don't know what your problem is—"

I glared at him, stomping my foot on the ground. "My problem is that I told you about all the pain in my life, the biggest one and you had no reaction. No acknowledgement, no words of sentiment, nothing!"

His glare hardened. "What would you want me to say? Say that we're the same so we can skip off into the sunset together?"

He had caught me there. I wasn't sure what I had wanted, at least not what I really wanted. The goal was to get him to trust me again but all my story seemed to do was annoy him, force him to dig himself even deeper down the steep hole he was already in.

"I wanted the exact opposite of what happened between us to happen." I mumbled, not even sure what that meant, but letting the words out anyway.

He said nothing, just continued to stare down at me, his glare softening only slightly.

I looked up at him, feeling my lips turn down at the corners. "I want to be your friend." I said. "But I feel like you don't even know what that means, I feel like you don't know what that even is."

"I don't need friends."

"Everyone needs someone."


	14. Chapter 14: A Shaky Situation! Keep Your

**Chapter 14:**

"There you are." Kyoske said when I walked up to them in the exam room.

I smiled at the boys and pulled myself up on one of the desks. "I got a little sidetracked."

"A little?" Kyoske grunted and then nodded up at the Rookie 9 standing above. Naruto was being loud as usual, but instead of fighting with Sasuke, he was fighting with everyone else and they seemed just as annoyed as Sasuke usually was.

"How long has that been going on?" I asked.

"Ever since they walked into the room and Ino threw herself on top of Sasuke which irked the heck out of Sakura, I can tell you that much." Kyoske yawned.

I looked up at Ino, the girl Sakura had been arguing with the other day and spotted another girl beside her, nervously pressing her fingertips together. She wore a heavy fur looking coat and dark hair that looked purple in the light.

"The other is Hinata Hyuga." Hideki said.

"Hyuga?" I repeated.

"Cousins, but we know how Neji feels about the main branch so I doubt their paths have crossed much and if they did, I'm sure he gives her a piece of his mind each time." Kyoske said.

"Interesting." I said and caught sight of a gray-haired ninja with glasses stepping up to the Rookie 9. He seemed kind and soft and rather pleasant and judging by his headband he was a Leaf shinobi as well.

"Who's that?" I asked, feeling a bad feeling brewing in my stomach at the mere sight of him.

"No idea." Kyoske said.

"They don't seem to know him either." Hideki noted.

The boy produced cards and Sasuke and his team gathered close to get a good look at them. I sensed the chakra from the cards and crossed my arms.

"Intel." I said. "Unless that's a super fancy card trick."

"He puts all your fancy computers to shame, Hideki." Kyoske chuckled dryly.

"I don't remember seeing anything about that boy." Hideki said. "I studied that entry list from top to bottom."

"Maybe he was a late applicant." I said and looked away finding Gaara's dark glare in the crowd. Temari was busy filing her nails and Kankuro was fiddling with Crow's hair. Gaara sat in the middle of both of them, his arms crossed.

That was when it happened, a figure darting from the crowd, nothing but a blur landing on the railing above with an empty fist aimed at the boy with the glasses. The boy stumbled back, shock filling his features before his glasses cracked and shattered. He was frozen and shaking, his eyes wide. It was as if time had frozen the attack had been so swift, so sudden and a moment later the boy fell to his knees and began throwing up.

"A Sound ninja." Kyoske breathed, reaching for his sword.

"Not here." Hideki warned.

I was ready to jump on the table, to get a better view. My hands were gripping the edge of the desk, my body hunching forward. Upon hearing Hideki's warning, I relaxed back into my seat just as a hand snaked around my waist and pulled me off the desk, pressing me to their side.

Hideki and Kyoske swung around at the sound of my gasp and I looked up to see a ninja from the Rain village standing beside me with a pompous grin on his face.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Let her go." Kyoske growled.

"Relax, I just want to talk to the lady." The Rain ninja said with a sickly grin.

"Miyuki!" Naruto's voice filled the room and I could feel all eyes shift onto my little predicament. Sasuke stepped to the railing, his eyes narrowing.

"You picked the wrong one." Hideki muttered.

"Let her go." Kyoske said again. "I'm saying that for your own good."

The ninja ignored them, his hand snaking over my stomach as he used his other to pull my chin up to his face. I stared at him, feeling my body tense.

"My name's Oneru, what's yours?" He said, his breath hot against my face.

I had been told numerous times that my body was fit to tempt people. I was only eleven and had the curves of a full-grown woman and Megumi-sensei always said it would only get worse the older I became. But, she also pointed out that it depended on how I used it. Having a pretty face could help in certain situations and it was always good to play the damsel in distress before turning on the other cheek. Regardless, as I pretty as I was, I didn't like to be touched and this Rain ninja didn't seem to get that.

"Hey wise guy! Let go of her!" Naruto shouted from above.

"Back off, Rookie brat! The Rain ninja shouted back, turning his attention away from me and up toward Naruto who was looking like he was ready to jump off the railing above. The only thing holding him in place was Sakura who was gripping him by the back of his shirt.

Which was fine because I didn't need his help. The moment the Rain ninja's eyes left my face, I moved. Snaking out of his grasp I managed to catch his wrist in the process. He was stunned as I flipped him onto his back and pulled a kunai to his throat. He blinked up at me, his eyes wide as the rest of his team came running up behind me.

"You should watch where you put your hands." I growled, my eyes dark as I balanced a foot on the crook of his shoulder.

"Why you little bi—"

I snapped the Rain ninja's arm clean out of its socket and the sickening crack echoed throughout the room. I spun around just in time to meet the rest of his teammates who came at me at the exact same time, firing kick and punch right after the other. I blocked them all with and managed to bring one down before delivering a sharp knee to the other's stomach. The hit sent the ninja flying back against chairs. As for the other, he was lifting his fist, readying himself to strike just as I caught it and twisted his hand. He cried out, his wrist twisted and dropped to his knees as I positioned myself, ready to break his arm. At the same time the first Rain ninja, Oneru, rose behind me.

Kyoske shot forward, blocking the punch aimed for my back with the sheath of his sword.

"Fighting us before the fighting gets started, huh?" Kyoske grunted. "Hideki, you gonna get off your ass and help out?"

"Break him, Miyuki." Hideki said, a dark edge buried in his voice. "If they haven't stopped us yet, it's because they want to see you do it."

"Let's give them a show then." I said before breaking the ninja's arm. He screamed in pain and I kicked him right in the jaw, finding great pleasure in seeing his head fall back and slam on the hard floor, blood spewing out of his mouth.

It was like the entire room took held their breath. A hushed silence fell through the room, a silence so strong, I could hear the rumbling of a brewing chuckle in Kyoske's chest.

"Whoa…" Naruto uttered from above, breaking the silence after a moment.

"Wh-who is that?" Ino followed.

I turned to face Oneru who was struggling against Kyoske.

"Move." I growled. "He's mine."

Kyoske pushed Oneru back and barely made it out of the way as I charged toward him. Oneru tried to punch me and I dodged it by jumping up. I remembered mid-air watching Lee spar with Hideki one morning during a mission a few months back. The two of them had gone at it and I remembered being blown away by Lee's form, his moves registering in my mind. I also remembered the shock in his eyes when I had mirrored his moves perfectly in a fight a few days after.

I lifted a leg and heard Lee suck in a breath as I brought my foot down hard against the back of Oneru's head, watching it bash forward, slamming hard on the floor. He was out for the count when I landed, but my rage had built to the point where I felt the need to desperately make a point. I pulled a kunai from my pouch, all rationality vanishing from my head as I raised it high above my head. I was ready to strike when Orochimaru's voice rang through my head.

 _Kill him. Make him pay. Kill him_.

My kunai was swinging down when an explosion of smoke came from the front of the room. Ninja were on me instantly, two of them, one grabbing my shoulder, the other grabbing my kunai.

"That'll be enough, Obanji." Ibiki's rock-hard voice called from the front of the room. "You've proven these Rain shinobi were way out of line and need to be escorted from the building. Now settle down or we'll have to escort you and your squad out with them."

I pulled myself away from their holds and slid my kunai back into my pouch. I watched as the Leaf Jonin picked the Rain shinobi off of the floor.

"Oh man! Just when it was about to get interesting!" Kankuro called. He was joined by a few hollers of equal opinions, all of which ended when Ibiki waved a hand through the air.

"Enough! Let's get this exam going! You were each given a number when you walked in here and each seat in this room is numbered. It's not difficult to figure out what to do next." Ibiki said. "As for the tables spotted with the most blood, those seats will be given to Obanji's team since they couldn't hold back until the actual fighting begins. So, whoever has the number to those seats, will just be taking their numbers in exchange."

Grunts broke out as everyone found their seats and I wiped the sweat from my brow.

"Nice." Kyoske sighed. "Now we got the crappy blood soaked seats."

"Way to make an entrance." Hideki said.

"Stopped you right before you drove a kunai into that kid's head." Temari's giggled. "How nice of them."

"At least now everyone knows not to mess with us." Kyoske said, defending me.

"At least now they know to keep their hands to themselves." I followed.

"It's a fine lesson, my dear." Temari said as I passed her and settled into a seat that the ninja I had kicked in the stomach had bashed his face on. Blood was smeared across it and I sighed as one of the Jonin handed me a handful of tissues to wipe it with.

"No disinfectant?" Kyoske shouted. "How am I supposed to nap?!"

"Idiot." Hideki grumbled from down below.

I flipped my hair and took the tissues, wiping at my desk as Ibiki went over the rules of the exam after telling Kyoske to keep his comments to himself. I watched the blood smear across the surface and my stomach bubbled. I could feel the memories coming, bubbling up from the darkest part of my mind. I flinched, remembering that night all over again, the weight of Sayuri's blood against my skin. I remembered tears lighting my eyes the moment I had caught sight of her expression which had been half stuck between shock and relief, an expression that was just as painful to look back on as it had been that day.

We had been safe. _We had been safe_. We _thought_ we had been safe. But it was a lie. It was just a ruse to get our hopes up, to make us think that we could actually escape. We weren't supposed to survive. That night, we were all supposed to die except, they didn't kill me right.

The paper exam was being passed out and as it slid onto my desk, I stared down at it, unable to register the words on the back of it. All I could hear were Sayuri's desperate cries echoing through our house and the icy, pulsing fear that quaked through my body as a result. I lowered my head to the desk, my hands lacing around the back of my neck. I was shivering when a firm hand came down on my knee, giving it a sharp squeeze. I nearly jumped out of my seat and looked over only to find Sasuke sitting beside me, his eyes focused on Ibiki. I looked down at his hand feeling it's roughness, warmth, and firmness all at once. But, what I felt more than anything was my body being pulled back into the room, breaking free from the nightmare. I sucked in a breath and Sasuke moved his hand away, using it to prop his head up. I wanted to whisper a thanks of some kind but just when I was about to, Ibiki announced that we could flip our papers over.

I flipped mine over after everyone in the room had flipped theirs and lo0ked down at the words on the paper, barely able to process any of it. I knew the questions were impossibly difficult and it was done on purpose, forcing shinobi to cheat but secretively, thanks to all the Jonin watching in the room. It wasn't long before numbers were being called, chairs screeching back as ninja were escorted out of the room. Then, it was crunch time, a mere fifteen minutes until the exam was over. I spotted Kyoske napping on his desk, a big drop of drool sliding down his mouth. Hideki was hard at work, his pencil moving at a furious pace. Sakura was the same way until she slumped over, looking like she had just passed out and as for Sasuke his pencil was mirroring the movements of a kid's pencil a few seats below us.

I couldn't help but smirk, proud that they all seemed to have caught on, that is until my eyes landed on Naruto who was sitting beside the fur coated girl. He looked like he was ready to scream and I could see his shoulders trembling too. The final call came, for anyone who felt they couldn't handle the pressure. Ibiki reminded them further that if they raised their hand, they would not only get their team "disqualified" but would never be able to become Chunin again. I remembered the first time hearing those words and how Kyoske had felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. I had barely batted an eyelash at them and Hideki knew that his answers were right. As for Kyoske, he had looked a lot like Naruto and admitted that somewhere between it all he had just passed out from the pressure.

I caught sight of Naruto's hand raising and felt my insides twist. Sasuke leaned forward, his hands in tight fists on his desk as he glared at Naruto. Sakura was frozen in her seat and a hushed silence filled the room as the number one knucklehead, loud-mouthed, big shot ninja curled his fingers in, his raised hand becoming a tight fist. All eyes landed on him just before he slammed his fist down on the table.

"You're not gonna weed me out, believe it!" Naruto shouted and I could feel the relief ripple not only through his team but through me as well. Naruto settled down and Ibiki scoffed as the last remnants of shinobi that had given up left the room. The clock rang, announcing that it was all over and Ibiki revealed the truth to a stunned room of shinobi, a room that housed half of the people who had applied in the first place.

When it was over, Anko appeared at the front of the room announcing that in a few days, we would be entering the Forest of Death. Sasuke folded his arms as everyone around us rose to their feet. I looked up at him, feeling a blush warm my cheeks.

"Th-thanks." I muttered.

"Hmph." Sasuke breathed, rising to his feet just as Sakura broke out into the aisle, jumping for joy.

"Sasuke! We did it!" Sakura's voice chimed and suddenly she was beside him, grabbing his wrist and jumping up and down excitedly. Sasuke didn't seem to share her level of enthusiasm but did manage a small smirk while Naruto celebrated beside the fur coat girl, throwing his fists in the air and cheering.

"Oh please, that wasn't even the hardest part yet." Neji grumbled as he moved past us. I hadn't noticed that he was in the row above us and he didn't even shoot me a glance as he made his way out into the aisle.

"It was stressful for them regardless." I said.

"Because they're rookies." Neji said, shooting Sasuke a look. "How could I forget."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as Neji walked away and I let out a sigh just as Kyoske and Hideki appeared beside Sakura.

"We should get going." Hideki said.

"Why don't we go and celebrate?" Naruto cheered.

"Wish we could join you, but we have better things to do." Kyoske said with a grin.

"Like annoy the hell out of people." Gaara grumbled as he moved past us with Temari and Kankuro behind him. Temari giggled and Kankuro chuckled as Kyoske glared at the three of them.

"I can't wait to fight him." Kyoske grumbled once Gaara was out of earshot.

"If you even make it to the next round." Hideki said and then touched my arm nodding toward the door.

I nodded as we parted ways with Team 7 and once outside, Hideki pulled out a slip of paper from his pocket. He peered down at it, squinting down at the words scribbled in a quick hand.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Kabuto Yakushi." Hideki grumbled. "That was card boy's name."

"How did you get that?" Kyoske asked.

"I saw it when I was walking up to you." Hideki said.

"Something about that guy rubs me the wrong way." I said, folding my arms over my chest.

"He's an interesting character, especially with those cards of his." Hideki said and nodded to something ahead of us. We stopped walking and peered to where Hideki had nodded toward and found Kabuto beside other Leaf shinobi who I realized could have been his squad.

"We should keep an eye on him." Kyoske said.

I shivered just looking at the kid, feeling my face contort with disgust. I didn't like him and it felt like a gut reaction. Something about him, something about the easiness of his smile, the cool, calm and collectiveness of his movements. Something was off but I couldn't put my finger on it. He looked innocent enough but that was the thing with people, it was the innocent ones you had to watch out for.

"Thought you three had somewhere to be." I jumped at sound of Sasuke's voice and we all turned to face Team 7.

"Did you guys change your mind about celebrating?" Naruto asked, his eyes hopeful.

I was opening my mouth to respond when someone responded for me and a quick glance in Kyoske and Hideki's direction proved it hadn't been them.

"You're going to have to hold off on the celebrating for now."

We all turned only to see White Fang walking toward us. He seemed friendly enough as he took us in, giving my team a courteous nod before turning back to his team.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura exclaimed.

"We made it to the next round, Sensei!" Naruto exclaimed.

Kakashi nodded and seemed to smile down at them under his mask. "That's great. I knew you could all do it."

"Why cut off the celebrating?" Kyoske asked, stretching. "I mean what if we were actually considering it?"

Kakashi smiled at him. "You have a mission."

"A mission?" Sakura gawked. "But we're in the middle of the Chunin Exams."

Kakashi nodded. "It's fairly easy. You'll just be delivering a sacred scroll to the Village Hidden in the Rain."

"When do we leave?" Sasuke asked.

Kakashi smiled again and reached up to scratch the back of his head. "Now, actually."

"Now?!" Sakura exclaimed. "We don't even have time to pack anything!"

"Yes, it's urgent they receive the scroll as quickly as possible." Kakashi said. "But you're not going alone."

"Who else is going?" Naruto asked.

"We are."

We turned again to find Megumi-sensei standing behind us and she didn't seem too happy. White Fang smiled at her and she didn't even bother to return it. In fact, it seemed like it was taking everything in her to be civil.

"Wait…we are? As in _us_?" Kyoske asked, motioning to us.

Megumi-sensei nodded. "It's against my wishes but the Hokage as well as our Daimyō felt that the mission could be done a lot faster with our services."

"Wait, we're going on a mission with _them_?" Sasuke asked, earning a look from Kyoske.

"There a problem Uchiha?" Kyoske growled.

"Other than the fact that anyone else but you guys should come with us? No, there's no problem." Sasuke said dryly.

Before Kyoske could react, Megumi-sensei beat him to it. "At least someone shares my feelings." She mumbled.

Kakashi held up his hands. "You'll all be fine I'm sure."

"Wait, why are you saying 'you'll'?" Sakura asked. "Are you not coming, Kakashi-sensei?"

"We aren't." Megumi-sensei said. "This classifies as a C-rank because of all the thieves you might encounter on the way."

"Wait, so who's in charge? Do we get to pick!?" Naruto grinned before his hand shot up in the air and he began hopping up and down. "It should be me!"

"No." Megumi-sensei said, making his enthusiasm drop.

"The acting leader will be one of the Water ninja." Kakashi said.

"Hideki." Megumi-sensei said, nodding toward him.

"Wait! Shouldn't the acting leader be a higher level shinobi?" Sakura asked.

"Hideki has been in charge of countless missions plus this mission is so small and simple, there's not really a need for anyone else to be attached to it." Megumi-sensei explained.

"C-Rank missions, as you know, call for either experienced Genin or Chunin." Kakashi said.

" _Experienced_ Genin." Sasuke said, his eyes darting over to us, carefully looking us over.

Kyoske was ready to say something again when I dug my nails into his arm. He let out a small cry and turned to shoot me a look, but I was turning to face Kakashi and Megumi-sensei.

"Enough with the comments back and forth. You have thirty minutes to pack and meet at the gates." Megumi-sensei said before nodding to us. "So, I'd hurry if I were you."

Team 7 scattered then and our team inched closer to Megumi-sensei, our voices low.

"We're going to make sure Sasuke doesn't get attacked." I said.

"Or that they just don't die." Kyoske said.

"Our mission for Orochimaru was just a mission given to us by the Priestess, not our main village." Megumi-sensei said. "The Daimyō can still throw missions at us if he pleases. The Hokage needed experienced ninja with them and since a good portion of their shinobi are taking the exams and off on other missions, he asked the other nations."

"But it works out in our favor." Hideki said.

Megumi-sensei shrugged. "Just keep an eye on them and make sure they don't die, have it coming, or it's inevitable."


	15. Chapter 15:Mission Enter:The Land of Rai

**Chapter 15: Mission! Enter: The Land of Rain!**

"Naruto and Kyoske you will be in charge of watching the rear. Sasuke you have the front. Sakura will be holding the package and will be in the middle and if we are attacked, Naruto and Miyuki are in charge of protecting her. As for you Miyuki, you're our active medical ninja." Hideki said. "I will be in charge of navigation."

We all nodded, except for Naruto who instantly began protesting.

"Why can't I have the front? Why does Sasuke get to be in the front?" He asked.

"Because Sasuke's fighting skills are superior." Hideki said bluntly which made Sasuke snicker and Naruto's brow twitch with annoyance.

"We're wasting time, can we like…go already?" Kyoske asked.

Hideki nodded and before anyone could say anything else we were walking out of the gates before we started running as quickly as our legs could carry us. Megumi-sensei had thrown the mission file at us once we had gotten back to the hotel and we had read it over quickly. C-rank with the risk level being low to medium. I had only been to the Land Hidden by Rain once before and it had been with Orochimaru. It was a vast, almost desolate city that teetered on the edge of creepy. Cranks and uneven pieces of metal were what made up most of the buildings, jagged pieces and an endlessly rainy sky were only fun additions. I remembered being scared as we walked through the streets and Orochimaru had told me that I had had it all wrong. If anyone should be scared, it was the village.

"Miyuki?" Kyoske tapped my shoulder and I snapped out of my thoughts, turning to face him instantly.

"Sorry." I said. "What's going on?"

"We're going to stop soon." Kyoske said.

"Why?"

"Water break." Sasuke answered. I looked at him and caught him glancing back at us before turning his head forward.

"I'm gonna punch that kid." Kyoske grumbled.

"No you're not." I said.

We stopped a few minutes later, taking refuge under a tree. Kyoske and Naruto drank some water while Hideki pulled out his map and began marking it. Sasuke stood to the side, kicking the toe of his sandal into the dirt, his movements impatient. I sat beside Hideki, watching him work while stealing glances at Sasuke.

"I need to wash my hands." Sakura sighed, looking at her palms.

We weren't anywhere near civilization and according to the map the nearest village was a good thirty minutes away. But, we were making great time and had pushed through with running ever since we left the village and I knew by the end of the day we would be close enough to the Rain village that it would be a twenty-minute walk.

"There's a lake a few yards down to the east." Hideki muttered.

Sakura nodded and rose to her feet. "I guess I can refill your water bottles if anything."

Naruto grinned and offered his bottle. Hideki shot me a glance and I rose to my feet just as Sakura was getting ready to go off.

"I'll go with you." I volunteered with a smile.

Sakura smiled and we took off toward the lake, following the smell of fresh water.

"I'm excited even though this cuts into training time." Sakura breathed after we were a few feet in. "Our first mission together."

I smiled in return. "Yeah it is pretty exciting."

"Though the Forest of Death sounds pretty scary." Sakura said, her finger lifting up to her chin. "But I think we'll be alright."

I didn't have the heart to tell her that she had to be more than careful. Man-eating plants, ravenous animals, and brutal enemy ninja were just the icing on the forest. If it couldn't kill you, then there was a significantly high chance that someone or something in the forest would come pretty close. I remembered our first time walking into it, all wide-eyed and bushy-tailed and it had been a hard slap to the face. Sure it was nothing compared to all that my team had gone through, but the pure brutality of the life of a shinobi had quaked through us. It was easy to have a break down, to be paranoid, or quit and what always surprised me was just how quickly people did so. Groups quit before they even took their first step in.

"You guys will be fine." I smiled. "Nothing to worry about."

Sakura nodded, a light blush on her cheeks.

"You have a great team, Sakura." I said. "I know when it comes down to it you all have each other's backs no matter how much Naruto and Sasuke bicker."

Sakura laughed. "That's true but they work really well together."

"They do?" I could imagine them working well during life or death situations but not in anything else.

Sakura nodded. "Zabuza had captured Kakashi-sensei in the Land of Waves and they worked together to free him. It was…totally awesome."

We had reached the lake and I stared at Sakura, her emerald eyes sparkling as she recalled the memory. I dipped my hands into the cool water and nodded, wishing I had been there to see the two of them in action. I realized I had never seen the two of them fight and though Sasuke was guaranteed to be amazing, I could only wonder about Naruto.

"Though don't tell Naruto I said that." Sakura laughed as she bent down by the lake, dipping her hands inside. "I'm sure he wouldn't shut up about it."

We laughed then and I was about to say something else when a snarky laugh sounded from just above us.

"Well, well, well." The voice said as my muscles tensed. "Look who it is."

I swung around, recognizing the voice instantly as Sakura stiffened beside me, turning slowly. Standing on a thick tree branch was the same kunoichi from Orochimaru's hide out. My heart dropped in my chest. She was still wearing the cloud cape, her expression amused, one of her legs popping out from the slit. But, unlike the other day, the kunoichi wasn't alone. Beside her stood another cloud robed kunoichi with pale skin, amber eyes, short purple hair and a straw hat.

"Wh-who are you?" Sakura asked, worry knitting her brow together.

"Is this another one of your little friends?" The dark-haired kunoichi called with a sly smile. "Where's the other one?"

"What is she talking about?" Sakura asked, shooting me a look.

"She's a Leaf shinobi." The purple-haired kunoichi said, nodding to Sakura's headband.

"Think she's worth anything?" The dark-haired girl asked, amused.

The purple-haired one scoffed. "She seems useless to me."

A vein pulsed in Sakura's forehead and I saw her hands ball into tight fists instantly. She was irked, with good reason, but she wasn't ready for a fight like this and neither was I after the last time. Plus, even if I was, I couldn't fight with Sakura around especially when the other one was involved. I didn't know the purple-haired girl's jutsu and it would be reckless to attack, to fight without the boys by our sides. What we had to do was move. We had to escape somehow, and my mind raced as I struggled to come up with some sort of distraction. The dark-haired kunoichi popped one of her hips to the side and seem to chew her comrades words over in her head as she regarded Sakura.

"Who are these people?" She whispered to me.

"We have to move." I whispered back.

"What was that?" The dark-haired kunoichi called out to me, lifting a hand to cup over her ear as she leaned forward, an eyebrow arched.

"What do you want?" I spat.

"There we go." The dark-haired kunoichi smiled, easing back into her relaxed position. "That's the big talk I remember."

"This is the one from before?" The purple-haired one asked. "The one you were telling me about?"

The dark-haired kunoichi nodded. "Yup and I have to pay her back for the other day."

"You and your grudges…"

"I have to teach her that she can't get off easy and that I don't forget." The hand that was on her hip slid down just as the silver pipe shot down her cape sleeve and I saw Sakura's eyes widen for a fraction of a second.

"Wh-where did that come from?" She asked.

I held my breath and shot her a glance. I had to do something. I couldn't afford to get separated from Sakura because I knew the two kunoichi would split up and just as uncertain as I was with Naruto and Sasuke's teamwork, I was uncertain about Sakura's skill level. I knew she was all book smart which meant she was able to plan but how that translated into hand to hand combat was a totally different story.

"When I say move, you move. Got it?" I whisper-hissed.

"We don't have time for you to teach stupid lessons." The purple-haired kunoichi said, her voice mellow in tone.

"Miyu—" Sakura began as she watched me slowly reach for the kunai pouch on my thigh. As the two kunoichi above argued back and forth, I pulled out a kunai and shot it toward them which the dark-haired kunoichi blocked with ease, but that was what I had anticipated.

What I had needed was the moment it took her to move, the moment her eyes left the purple-haired kunoichi's face and shifted to the incoming kunai. I turned and shot a hard look at Sakura who moved out of the way as I began making hand signs. I inhaled as the dark-haired kunoichi's eyes narrowed.

"Water Style! Raging Waves!" I exhaled a stream of water from my mouth that had as much power and pressure as a waterfall. It was aimed right at the kunoichi in the tree and the attack seemed to slam right into them, a direct hit.

"You got them!" Sakura called, a light smile on her face. I didn't waste time to celebrate and instead jumped back into the water, building chakra in my feet so that I wouldn't sink in and waited.

"That was cute." The purple-haired kunoichi called from above. Sakura and I looked up and the both of us gasped.

She was standing on top of a paper falcon that was about three sizes too big compared to a normal sized one and the sound of its flapping wings sounded more like pages flipping in a book. I was blown away and slightly agitated that I hadn't even sensed her above. Sweat began to dot my forehead as I realized they had even hid their chakra.

"She has a lot of cute tricks." The dark-haired kunoichi called. I swung around and found her standing in the middle of the lake with an amused smile on her lips. "They're getting a little old for me, though."

She began making hand signs and it took me a minute to realize her next jutsu. I was running toward her when the one from above reacted.

"Dance of the Shikigami." I glanced up only to see her body burst into hundreds, no thousands, of tiny papers. The stream of papers swung low before rushing toward me. I pulled out a kunai and tried to dispel a few of them but there was simply too many. I was so focused on blocking that I lost my footing and dropped just as a part of the paper stream broke off and turned toward Sakura. She chose the running option, trying to see if she could throw off the stream by dodging and jumping from tree top to tree top but the stream proved to be smarter and within minutes it had her surrounded.

"Sakura!" I called out to her. She seemed slightly nervous, her eyes darting from side to side. She was trapped and I could see in her eyes that she wasn't sure what to do next.

That was when I heard the sizzling, like a firecracker about to go off and my eyes widened as I squinted at the sea of paper surrounding me. Tiny explosive seals were stuck to the backs of them and it was too late. They went off just a second later, vicious, hot and fiery explosions that I barely dodged even as I dispelled the chakra from under my feet and sunk down into the water.

"MIYUKI!" Sakura screamed.

I had turned onto my side and could feel the burn running along my arm. It wasn't bad, something that could be healed with little to no problem, but the pain most certainly didn't help. I coughed, a good gulp of water burning its way down my throat before I swam back up to the surface a few feet away from the still burning fire.

"Water style! Black Rain Jutsu!" The dark-haired kunoichi shouted, lifting a hand as the clouds above turned stormy and inky black rain began shortly after. Her red eyes sparkled and I was struck with the memory of them again. The small red-eyed girl rushing out to the boy's remains before turning to shoot me eyes filled with such an intense rage, it came close to Sasuke's close.

"Wha-wha-is this fuel?" Sakura sniffed the oil that was beginning to cover her, a bewildered expression on her face. The dark cloud above stretched over the clearing and the paper kunoichi formed again above.

"Are you ready brat?" The dark haired kunoichi asked with a snarky smile on her lips.

I looked at Sakura and ran for her just as both kunoichi above inhaled. I grabbed Sakura's hand just as they exhaled two massive fireballs aimed right for the clearing, inflaming trees as it came down toward us. The flames reflected in Sakura's wide, horror filled eyes, but I pulled her back into the forest. We took off then, running quickly as the flames touched down and a hot wave came with it. I was getting ready to stop when a dark shadow loomed above and I looked up just in time to see the dark-haired kunoichi coming toward us, silver pole extended. I stopped in my tracks and Sakura slammed into my back just as the kunoichi landed, her pole slammed into the ground.

The ground shook before rising and cracking beneath out feet and we were quickly knocked off of our feet. I lost her hand somewhere in the chaos as the attack sent the both of us flying back. Dust and debris rolled up around us and my head slammed into an upturned tree trunk, making my head rattle.

"MIYUKI! SAKURA!" Naruto's voice pierced through my ears as the world around me shook. I was gasping, my throat tight as the dust around me made it hard to see, but I could see his orange jumpsuit above, right before his body launched into the air.

"What are you supposed to be?" The dark-haired kunoichi growled.

"S-Sakura." I coughed and I could make out her body a few feet away from me. She was lying on her side, knocked out.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto's voice boomed above. I looked up to see more orange jumpsuits popping into existence in smoke clouds and suddenly there were at least a hundred Naruto's lunching toward the dark-haired kunoichi.

"I'll teach you to pick on my friends! Believe it!" Naruto shouted. I was rising to my feet, the dust cloud finally starting to fade away and watched as Naruto and the dark-haired kunoichi went at it. The Naruto clones were sending one punch and kick right after the other or often at the same time. The dark-haired kunoichi humored him by dodging until she pulled her metal pole from the ground and began fighting back, destroying the Shadow Clones one by one.

"Shadow Clones?" I breathed as I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. I knew enough about the technique to know that it was forbidden. I was stunned, blown away suddenly while gaining a new sense of respect for Naruto. He had to be strong if he had a technique like that up his sleeve.

"You alright?" Hideki's voice called down to me.

I blinked, swiping at my eyes again as the dark-haired kunoichi dispelled ten Naruto clones before slamming her pole on the ground again, sending a circle of small wind waves to ripple out around her. That got rid of the other clones and sent the original flying back, his back slamming into a tree.

"Naruto!" Kyoske growled before he jumped down along with Sasuke. I ran to Sakura then and pressed two fingers to the side of her neck. She was still alive, but her pulse was a little weak. I closed my eyes and lifted my hands, letting them hover just on the outside of her forehead. She had hit her head, but it was at most nothing more than a slight concussion. I pulled her body up and balanced it against a tree before turning back to see Kyoske and Sasuke fighting the the dark-haired kunoichi who was laughing.

"Water Style! Hand of Waves!" Kyoske shouted, holding out his palm as a powerful jet of water shot out as the dark-haired kunoichi who instead slammed her pole onto the ground, throwing off the attack and sending the stream toward Sakura and I. I was about to grab Sakura when Sasuke appeared in front of us and exhaled a fireball at the water stream. It burst into steam and Sasuke looked back at me.

"She's alright." I said, a hand on Sakura's shoulder. "She just hit her head."

"What happened?" He demanded, his voice low, his eyes narrowed.

I looked down at the damp ground and sighed. "It's my fault."

"There's more of them." The purple-haired kunoichi called from above and a quick glance confirmed she wasn't just above us, she was hovering with paper wings jutting out of the back of her cape, holding her up as she observed the fight below.

"They're like roaches." The dark-haired kunoichi smirked. "Is that the best you have?"

"We're running out of time." The purple-haired kunoichi called. "He'll be upset."

"Let him." The dark-haired kunoichi growled before her eyes settled on me. "I still have lessons to teach."

I pushed myself up to my feet then, my mind still racing. The only option was to run for it. There was no need to involve anyone else anymore. If I could put as much distance between myself and the others, I knew for certain this kunoichi would chase after me and then, after that there would be no need to hold back.

"I'm not afraid of you." I snapped.

"You should be." She growled before running toward me.

Sasuke held his ground in front of me and I stepped toward him.

"Don't be stupid." I growled. "She's way out of your league."

"Hmph." Sasuke growled, his hands in tight fists as the kunoichi approached. I stepped closer just as the Sharingan lit his eyes. The kunoichi was lifting a pole, seeming ready to strike and just as she was about to bring it down, Sasuke looked up at her, his eyes as red as blood and she stopped in her tracks.

It was like she had seen a ghost. She stared at him with wide eyes, her face going pale. Above, her partner tensed.

"What's the matter?" Sasuke growled. "I thought you were going to teach a lesson."

The kunoichi was speechless and instead lowered her weapon, her body shaking slightly as she started to stumble back.

"Karin, what's wrong?" The purple-haired kunoichi called above.

 _Karin_. Her name triggered something deep inside of me and before I could grab hold of the feeling, Sasuke was moving toward her. He was lifting a fist and the kunoichi, Karin, jumped back, dodging it, putting enough distance between them that allowed Sasuke time to form hand signs.

"Fire Style! Dragon Flame Jutsu!" It was one burst of flame in the form of an ancient dragon head and it shot toward Karin. It seemed like a direct hit but it was clear that the moment it hit, it was uncontrolled. The attack was uneven, too powerful for its own good and Sasuke had put too much chakra into it. The ground was already uneven from Karin's previous attacks and it gave out beneath us. I was reaching back for Sakura when Karin jumped out of the smoke cloud, a pipe aimed at Sasuke and I. It was so sudden that we weren't able to dodge it and the attack slammed into us, knocking the air clean out from my lungs. We went flying back and through the violent stream of wind I could make out muffled shouts. My hair whipped around my face, the winds suddenly too brutal, too powerful for my eyes to stay open and soon they were shut tightly.

We landed what felt like an eternity later and I was a weak, wheezing mess as I struggled to pull myself together. My breaths struggled to make it out of my panting mouth and I looked over at Sasuke who looked a little pale as he pushed himself up onto his haunches. My eyes trailed over to our surroundings until I caught sight of the path we had been sent down. Trees were toppled over, roots overturned, the ground pulled up to reveal the cracked and jagged rock pieces beneath. We were standing in a small clearing at the base of a mountain and I realized after a few long moments of staring that we had been blown way off course. I remembered seeing the mountain ledge on the map and knew that if we were on that side it meant that we would be entering the Rain village from a different side.

I looked back at Sasuke only to find him standing a few inches away from me, a hand aimed down at me, his palm open, waiting for mine. I stared at his hand for a moment before I reaching for it. He pulled me to my feet with ease and together we turned toward the aftermath.

"She blew us off the trail." I mumbled, stating the obvious.

"Hmph…" Sasuke said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his shorts before turning to face the mountain behind us. I turned around moments after and stared up at the tall mountainside. It was massive, a monstrosity of a structure that towered over us and would be difficult to get around. It would at least take the whole night if we worked straight through but then I felt the burning reminder on my shoulder and gritted my teeth.

My hand snaked up my arm to touch my burned shoulder and I winced with the fiery pain that shot up as a result. He glanced down at me.

"You're hurt."

"I'm fine." I growled. "We have to keep moving."

He didn't argue and we started making our way around the mountainside. I knew Hideki would push the mission forward. I knew he wouldn't stop to look for us because he knew that I would move forward no matter what. But I could only imagine Naruto and Sakura's reaction and I was suddenly happy to be with Sasuke as opposed to hearing them firing off question after question.

We walked in silence for a while until the pain in my shoulder became too much. I grunted and slowed, digging in my pouch for some bandages. Pulling my shirt back, I noted that the burn was so small, there was no point in wasting chakra to heal it. I was getting ready to wrap my wound when Sasuke handed me the ointment I had given to him after his scuffle with Lee.

My eyes widened a fraction as I stared between him and the ointment and slowly, almost timidly, I took it from him. I opened the jar and slathered some ointment onto my burning shoulder. I clenched my teeth together through the pain and once I had enough ointment applied, I began wrapping, but of course by that time I felt a little disoriented. It was a sloppy wrap but I didn't care. I was rising to my feet when Sasuke pushed me back down and unfastened the tie.

"You don't have to—"

"Who was that girl back there?" Sasuke asked at the same time, the firmness in his voice forcing mine back down my throat. I watched as he began to refasten the bandage and looked down. How could I explain something I barely understood myself?

"I fought her before." I managed. "But I don't know anything else about her other than the fact that she's strong."

"How did she find you and Sakura?" Sasuke asked.

"We were at the lake when she appeared. I don't know anything about the other girl either. But she was more of an observer anyway." I studied his face remembering the look on Karin's face when she looked into Sasuke's eyes.

"Do you know them?" I asked timidly.

His eyes cut over to my face, his hands stilling their quick movements around my arm. He was glaring at me instantly, making me feel stupid for even voicing the words but it was still good to ask. Something had been burning in the girl's eyes when she looked at him, something strong enough to make her freeze up, to lose focus.

"Never seen them before." He said before looking back at my arm.

"She just…she just seemed to remember you from somewhere." I said, my voice low. "That's all."

Sasuke smirked, faintly, but it was a smirk nonetheless. He finished up his bandaging before pushing himself to his feet.

"We should keep moving." He said, his voice dry and free of emotion.

I studied his face, searching for an inkling of doubt until I realized Sasuke Uchiha didn't lie. It was the mysterious air surrounding him that made it feel that way. If he was lying, something told me I would know and he wouldn't be very good at it. I stood up just as he turned around to continue walking and then looked down at the ointment in my hand.

"Hurry up. We're on a tight schedule." Sasuke called back to me, not even turning to shoot me a look. I felt a light blush make its way up my neck and hurried behind him, throwing the ointment into my weapons pouch.

We kept on for about two hours more and my legs were throbbing, exhaustion bursting in my muscles. I wasn't sure how much more I could take and was about to complain when he stopped walking and I almost walked right into him. I jumped back as he turned around.

"What's wr—"

"Someone's following us." He cut me off, his eyes scanning the trees above as my back stiffened. _Someone watching us?_ I tried to sense another body hiding in the trees, opening up my senses to my surroundings but I came up empty. I looked back up at Sasuke and saw the Sharingan in his eyes and noted the hardened expression of determination on his face.

I was about to open my mouth when I heard it, two sets of grunts and the sound of leaves rustling somewhere behind me. I swung around, drawing a kunai, ready to defend just as a body loomed above.

"Ahhh!

"Grr! Take this!"

There were two of them, one heading for Sasuke and the other heading for me and while while Sasuke jumped back, I met the body heading toward me with my kunai blade, our weapons clanging loudly. They had been like shadows, their bodies hiding the sun above, and they landed, unrecognizable thanks to the gray cloaks they wore. Both shinobi held sharp swords and the one Sasuke had managed to dodge, charged toward him again, drawing their sword.

I pushed the body struggling with me back and pulled out another kunai just as it swung at me again, the sword slicing through the air. I blocked it, the metal clanging sharply in my ears again and I pushed the ninja back again.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Sasuke grunted, kicking the cloaked ninja he was fighting back. The ninja stumbled and fell back just as another jumped out from the trees above, wielding a tantō. Sasuke pulled out a kunai and managed to block it, pushing the new shinobi back. He began making hand signs as the third ninja rose.

My ninja came for me again, twirling their sword around to try and throw me off. I scoffed and threw a few shuriken at them, which they blocked but I used the durable, translucent thread to bring them back around and just before the ninja could reach out and strike me, the string wrapped around their body and they fell forward, landing hard and groaning.

"Fire Style! Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke's fireball shot toward the third mystery shinobi. The shinobi stilled as the attack shot forward, consuming their body in the fiery ball of flame.

"Sasuke!" I shouted as Sasuke's eyes drifted above his fireball only to see the shinobi he had kicked back jumping over the flames. Sasuke flinched and I knew he had reached his limit and was reduced to nothing more than hand to hand combat at least for a little while. I began making hand signs before flicking my wrist at the shinobi sailing through the air, their sword raised high atop their head.

"Lightening Release! Thunder!" I shouted as a small spark of lightning shot toward the airborne shinobi. It was a direct hit the shinobi grunted before falling to the ground, their body twitching as they continued to groan.

Sasuke coughed, a hand on his chest as he dropped down to one of his knees.

"Sasuke!" I called again and raced to his side. I placed a hand on his back, leaning over to shoot him a concern filled look. The Sharingan was still in his eyes but it was clear he was still using a great deal of chakra to keep it going.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"I'm fine." Sasuke grunted, before pushing back up. He flinched again but his eyes were set on the cloud of smoke left behind after his massive fireball attack. When it cleared, there was no body on the ground.

"Wh-where did they go?" I asked, my hands in tight fists at my sides as a bead of sweat made its way down my forehead.

"Up here!" Slowly our gaze lifted upwards only to see the tantō wielding shinobi diving toward us, her weapon drain, reflecting the sunlight. Sasuke pushed me out of the way and met her weapon with his kunai, grunting from the sheer weight of her body.

"Destroy them!" The shinobi I had tied up grunted. "Rip them to shreds, Samui!"

My eyes widened as the shinobi landed and drew back her tantō only to come flying back for Sasuke. Their weapons clashed again and I ran forward.

"No stop!" I shouted.

"Stay out of it." Sasuke grunted as he threw the shinobi off of him again, this time sending them a few feet back.

"No!" I shouted before jumping in front of him.

"Miyu—" Sasuke growled as the shinobi charged for us again.

"Samui!" I shouted. "Stop!"

The shinobi stopped in their tracks, their blade raised just under my my chin. Slowly, their hand slid up to the top of their head and they pulled off their hood, lifting their head so they could meet my eyes. It was a woman with fair skin, blue eyes, and straight blonde hair framing her face. She stared at me with a blank expression at first, her eyes studying every spot on mine until recognition hit. Her blue eyes widened and put her tantō away, sliding it back into the protective sleeve on her back.

"Miyuki." Samui breathed. "It's you."

"What's that?!" The shinobi I had tied up shouted.

"It's an old friend." Samui called over her shoulder. "It's Miyuki."

"M-M-M-Miyu-Miyu-Miyuki?" The shinobi still twitching on the side managed.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, his kunai still in his fist as he stared between all three shinobi.

"Apologies." Samui said, her eyes "If we had known it was you, we wouldn't have attacked."

I nodded and reached up to scratch the back of my head. "It's alright."

"Miyuki!" The shinobi I had tied up shouted in greeting before throwing back their head and revealing a dark skin, amber eyes and a head of spiky red hair. "It's me! Karui!"

I smiled as Samui shot a shuriken in her direction, slicing through the thread holding Karui in place. Karui paled before anger took over her features and she shot Samui a deadly look.

"What the heck Samui?! You tryna kill me?!" She shouted.

Samui sighed. "I didn't though, so relax."

"Wha-what?!" Karui growled before stomping over to Samui.

"If that had been a fraction closer to my skin it could've have sliced clean through!"

"But it didn't." Samui said, her head turning so she could shoot a glare at Karui.

"Who's being pessimistic now, Karui?" The other shinobi, who had been twitching on the ground, asked. He was still twitching but it was faint now and he removed his hood, revealing himself. Dark skin, blonde hair and a thoughtful face with a red lollipop in his mouth.

"Omoi." I smiled.

"Miyuki, if you hadn't revealed yourself to us we could have killed you and if we had killed you your team would have sought vengeance over us and we would have had to fight them to the death in a grueling battle." Omoi said, rising to his feet.

Karui turned to glare at him. "Oh would you shut up with all that overthinking?!"

"What are you doing here?" Samui asked, turning to face me, choosing to ignore her two bickering teammates behind her.

"I'm on a mission." I said with a grin.

Samui nodded before looking back at Sasuke. I shot him a quick glance myself and saw that he was still defensive, his kunai still at his sides, his Sharingan still active and his lips pressed into a tight line.

"This is Sas—"

"We should get going." Sasuke cut me off before sliding his kunai back into his holder.

Omoi and Karui stopped fighting to shoot Sasuke a curious look as Samui crossed her arms, an amused smirk lighting her lips.

"No…stay." Samui said, earning a dark look from Sasuke.

"Yeah, let's chat a while." Karui said, her eyes hardening.

Sasuke glared at them while I couldn't help but stifle a giggle. He had no idea who he was giving attitude to.

 **Author's Note:** Confused? Maybe. I envisioned Karin the way I had seen her when her image was first released online-black  & and white. The colors just stuck and I also tweaked her personality as well. She is older in my story, about the same age as she is in Shippuden. Despite the changes, there's a few other changes I've made to a few characters but you'll see more of that as the story progresses. I just figured that I should write a little blurb after the chapter to try and answer the big Karin question. Thanks for reading! Keep the awesome comments coming, and like always don't forget to review please and thank you!


	16. Chapter 16:The Mission Continues!

**Chapter 16: The Mission Continues! Come Forth Powerful Allies!**

"Have you seen this woman?"

Omoi shoved a wrinkled piece of paper in Sasuke's face which of course made his glare harden. We were sitting in a small dango shop that wasn't too far from where we had bumped into the Cloud ninja and on top of stopping for a quick bite to eat, we had also stopped at a local inn to inquire about getting a few rooms as well.

"Grr! Omoi! Stop shoving your shitty drawing in everyone's face!" Karui growled, pulling Omoi back into his seat by the back of his shirt.

As the paper went flying back with Omoi, I managed to catch a glimpse of it and it really was a bit disgraceful. It was a stick figure drawing with a mountainous backdrop and while the drawing itself was unappealing there was one significant part about it. I recognized the black cape and the red clouds and my hands balled into tight fists under the table.

"I'm simply trying to collect information!" Omoi said to Karui. "Plus my drawing is far superior to yours."

"At least you can tell mine is a girl and not some sad stick figure like yours!"

"What would know about drawing girls?! You're lacking the one thing that makes you one."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

They were back at it again as Samui rolled her eyes and propped her head up on her hand.

"They haven't changed at all." I laughed lightly. "Reminds me of Kyoske."

Samui scoffed. "Is he still the King of Immaturity?"

"Pretty much." I sighed before looking at Sasuke who's eyes were on the paper in Omoi's hand.

"What are you doing here, Miyuki?" Samui asked. "Is this boy your partner?"

Sasuke's eyes cut over to hers and he looked about ready to say something when I spoke up.

"He's one of my partners." I said. "And we're on a mission. We just got separated from everyone else."

Samui nodded.

"What about you guys?" I asked.

Karui and Omoi stopped fighting and looked at Samui as if for confirmation. I had to stifle back a laugh because their uncertainty meant that after all these years they still couldn't think for themselves.

"Same, on a mission to gather intel." Samui said before nodding to the paper. "Look familiar to you?"

"Look at this one!" Karui said, digging in her pockets furiously before pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. She shoved it in my face and it took me a minute for my eyes to settle on it overall. There was a lot going on. A sky that couldn't seem to decide if it wanted to rain or be sunny, ground that went from green grass to rocky hillside. There were two bodies, one that looked oddly like Omoi being hit with crudely drawn shuriken that looked more like spikes and another ninja in the same black cape and clouds and the same straw hat as the purple-haired shinobi.

"Is that…is that supposed to be Omoi?" I asked, pointing at the fallen ninja with x's over his eyes.

Omoi jerked Karui's arm in his direction to get a better look at the drawing and shook his head.

"Your drawing skills are terrible." Omoi critiqued.

"Shut up!" Karui growled.

I eased back into my seat and folded my arms as Sasuke muttered an answer.

"We just fought two ninja in the forest who had those same robes on." He said, sounding bored.

Samui nodded as her teammates argued beside her.

"But I fought one of them before." I said.  
"Th-there's more than one?" Karui asked, seeming confused as she looked between all of us at the table.

"If there's more than one that would explain how they can be in multiple places all at once. It's not a magic trick after all. Though a magic trick would be cool, but it's all chakra, probably a teleportation jutsu of some sort—"

Karui brought her fist down over Omoi's head, a vein pulsing on her forehead.

"CAN IT!" She growled.

I turned back to Samui. "What's this about?"

"We're trying to gather intel on a group of rogue ninja who have been terrorizing small parts of the Five nations. It started off small but they're beginning to pick up momentum and it has our Raikage worried." Samui said.

"So these ninja that we've encountered, they're part of that group?" I asked.

Samui nodded. "They could pose a real threat and we've been tasked to try and find out their identities while trying to figure out what they look for in members as well."

"But you've fought them, Miyuki? How strong are they?" Karui asked.

I looked at her, a light blush lighting my face as Karui leaned over the table, holding no regard for personal space.

"I fought her on a mission a days ago." I shot a glance at Sasuke only to find that he was staring at me expectantly, waiting for me to continue.

"It was on another mission. I had to investigate an abandoned building on the edge of Konoha. I saw her leaving from its general direction and had tried to get a better look at her only for her to start fighting me. She's strong and she was always one step ahead of me."

"And this time? She came back to continue?" Samui asked as Karui eased back into her seat.

I nodded. "She wanted to teach me a lesson."

"Which means she could still be following you now." Omoi said before peering around the restaurant. "She could be in this very room, feeding intel to her group of rogue ninja as we speak."

Karui shivered before glaring at Omoi. "Grr! Quit it! You're weirding me out!"

"It's not a bad theory." Samui said as Karui pulled Omoi into a chokehold.

"S-see?" Omoi struggled as Karui's hold tightened.

"She could come back at any moment to continue your battle." Samui said, her expression stoic. "It wouldn't hurt for us to stay by your side for at least a little longer in case she shows up."

"Great…more time with them." Sasuke sighed.

Samui's eyes narrowed at Sasuke. "What's your name?"

His eyes cut over to her face. "None of your—"

I placed a hand over his under the table and forced a tight smile. "His name is Sasuke." I saw him turn to shoot me a look but I was more focused on Samui's gaze lifting from his back to mine.

"Sasuke what?" She asked.

"Uchiha." I said.

"Uchiha?" Karui repeated before releasing Omoi.

"Such a noble name for such a bratty boy." Samui noted, making Sasuke tense.

"Bratty huh? Just because I don't feel like talking to a bunch of clowns?" He asked.

"Who you calling clowns?!" Karui shouted.

Samui lifted a hand. "Enough. He's free to express himself."

Sasuke glared at my hand, which was still over his, and pulled it away. He folded his arms, his eyes stormy as he looked away, proving he was over the conversation. I looked back at Samui who seemed just as annoyed by Sasuke and watched as she turned her head in the opposite direction, her eyes hard. Karui and Omoi were silent, their drawings between the two of them, their eyes darting between Sasuke and Samui, as they tried to figure out exactly when the conversation had turned south.

But the problem was, when it came to Sasuke, it was always hard to tell.

…

"Miyuki? May I join you?"

Samui's voice drifted up from the doorway and I swung around in the bath, my cheeks flushed, my hair pulled up into a tight chignon as she stepped into the room, shutting the door behind her. The steam rose high in the small outdoor bath and mixed with coolness of the night air, it made my exposed skin feel fresh.

Samui slipped into the water, her weighty chest hidden behind her towel but still threatening to pop right out as she lowered. I looked down at my own chest, knowing full well that Samui's gave a whole new meaning to the word "busty".

"What's up?" I smiled over at her, smoothing the strands that had come loose from my chignon behind my ear.

"I have a confession to make." Samui said, her eyes closing as she took a deep breath. I arched an eyebrow and felt my body tense. I remembered the last time she had uttered those words and remembered it had been everything but nice.

We went back, my team and the Cloud shinobi but unlike our somewhat decent at-the-end-of-the-day relationship with the Sand, the Cloud had betrayed us and irked Hideki. Our time with them had been a ruse where they had simply used us so that they could enact their own plan. They had left us behind as they went on ahead, Samui telling us not take it personally.

 _"_ _I have a confession to make…" She had mumbled to us as enemy ninja surrounded us. "They're not after us."_

 _"_ _They're after you." Karui had finished as they threw smoke bombs at their feet and jumped up into the trees leaving us in the dust._

I stiffened at the memory and looked away, focusing instead on the blurry sight of my legs stretched out beneath me.

"I lied at the shop." Samui said, her voice low.

I glanced at her. "Lied about what?" I knew if she had said those words around the boys Kyoske wouldn't have hesitated calling her out. He would have said something like: _"Another lie? Is that all you do? Lie?"_

"About our mission." Samui said, her eyes opening, her gaze far away. "I didn't want to say much in front of that Uchiha. I doubt he can do much but I know better than to test it out."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"The group of rogue ninja I was telling you about…I know more than I'm letting on, more than Karui and Omoi know. I was given a private briefing before them."

"And what were you told?" I asked.

"I learned that they are indeed a band of rogue ninjas, all of them holding various strengths. Omoi was foolish thinking there was only one, but there are in fact more than one, though I'm not certain of their exact numbers."

"They call themselves the Akatsuki." Samui continued. "We're not certain what the group's ultimate goal is but there is one thing the Raikage suspects, one shinobi in the group that I was told to engage if we make contact."

"Who?" I asked, leaning closer.

Samui looked at me. "The Raikage thinks he has a good idea who the group's leader is and he's pretty sure it's the man that murdered the entire Uchiha clan and left that boy to live with it."

I tried to replay the story over in my head. I flashed back to my history classes, but all I could come up with was hard facts. The clan was dead. Sasuke was alive, able to carry on the family name. There had been no accusations and even though I had never seen it in writing, hearing about the clan's murderer didn't shock me. I had heard about it before, a conversation I had only half been listening to.

"Itachi Uchiha…" Samui said, looking away and down at the water. "Sasuke's older brother."

My eyes widened as a distant ache shot across my chest. His older brother? His older brother had killed the clan? For some reason I had assumed it had always been a distant group of ninja, filled with jealousy for the great Uchiha clan. But it had been his brother, a single man, a lone man who had single-handedly killed an entire clan. I shivered, hugging myself at the thought, the endurance one needed to continue. Had he been exhausted by the time he had reached Sasuke? Had he been spared because of that?

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

"You said you fought two of their members." Samui said. "You should be proud because no one survives a match with them. Think of this information as a prize for your survival."

"I can't tell him, though." I said.

Samui shook her head. "I wouldn't. It's clear he's unstable."

"He's not unstable." I said, shocking myself with the amount of edge I had in my voice. It almost sounded defensive. "He just wants revenge."

"And he'll do anything for it, including search the woods for the man or worse, follow those members and fall into a trap." Samui said. "He'll die before he even comes close or even worse, give them just the leverage they need to have the Leaf in the palm of their hands."

I nodded, unable to deny it and unable to imagine him doing anything else but it. Samui knew more about Sasuke in one day than I had and it had taken me nearly two months to figure out that he hated sweet things.

I turned and pulled myself out of the tub, Samui's eyes on me as I moved.

"I have to go." I said. "We have a long trip tomorrow."

"Miyuki." Samui called as my hand reached for the door.

I turned back to face her. "Yes?"

She stared at me with her same stoic expression, before turning her body to face me completely, her arms folding on the ground as she placed her head on top of them, her eyes studying my face.

"Have you ever heard of Project Zero?" She asked.

I arched an eyebrow. "Project Zero?"

She searched my eyes for something and just as sweat was beginning to gather at the back of my neck, she looked away, giving me her back.

"Out of line if I asked for more information?" I asked.

"The fact that you don't know anything says enough." Samui said the moment the words left my mouth.

I looked away and opened the door, not quite sure how to take her words but also knowing that I never knew when it came to Samui. She was a great kunoichi, quiet, only speaking when absolutely necessary though I was sure I had heard more of her voice tonight than her teammates had since they had been grouped together. But, Samui had a mysterious air around her and her words always left a haunting effect in the air, the kind that made your stomach tighten, your words get caught in your throat as you convinced yourself that you were too scared to press.

Project Zero? I had never heard of it, but the way the words had left her mouth, told me I didn't want to.


	17. Chapter 17: A Rumble in the Rain

**Chapter 17: A Rumble in the Rain!**

Sasuke was quiet and it was beginning to get on my nerves. I felt like overall we had a lot to talk about and yet he walked at the head of our small group, his hands stuffed casually into the pockets of his shorts, as if there was nothing to talk about.

I gripped the straps of my backpack, replaying the morning over and over in my head. The look he had given me when we left our rooms at the exact same time, my stomach tightening as he seemed ready to speak, ready to say something until the Cloud ninja emerged in a cloud of arguments. Karui and Omoi going at each other like a pack of rabid dogs while Samui walked behind them, seeming beyond their attentions and too good for Sasuke and my own.

He had cut her a look as well, a look that Samui ignored and that seemed to burn him even more inside. I had watched him bite back his rage as he headed after them, leaving me alone in the hall. I knew our conversation after our hard landing the day before was far from over. there was still so much to ask about and yet I was still reeling from Samui's revelation.

It explained why the woman, Karin had frozen. If Itachi was in fact the leader of the Akatsuki, she had stared into his eyes numerous times, felt the spine-tingling electric shock that went through one's body at the mere sight of it. Which meant that she had probably told him about his brother, which meant that Sasuke could have a lot more coming for him rather than Orochimaru.

 _"_ _Remember the mission, Miyuki. Don't get too attached to them. If we have to kill one of them, we have to be able to cut our ties and put the mission before ourselves."_

Hideki's words echoed in my head and I almost groaned, feeling my lips pull down at the edges. The fact was, Itachi was none of my concern. He was the least of my worries. What I should have been worrying about was Orochimaru and in the overall view I couldn't see him finding any interest in the sibling squabble. Just trying to build a connection between it all would be too tedious and though Orochimaru was patient, even he had a limit.

"Hey. Wake up."

I jumped at the sound of his voice, but more so from how close it sounded. I looked up, feeling my cheeks fire up instantly when I realized I was walking right beside him. I tried to remember picking up my pace but couldn't remember and now it was too late to slink away.

He looked down at me with his onyx eyes, his expression holding its usual unreadability, thus making me feel stupid for staring at him. I turned away.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked and I tried to tell myself that the edge in his voice wasn't disgust but some form of concern. A quick glance up at him revealed I would never know either way. I glanced back at the cloud shinobi. Samui seemed lost in her thoughts and Karui and Omoi were listing off their favorite protein powder flavors which I knew would lead to an argument about which was the best one. I looked back ahead and let out a sigh. There was only one way to crack whatever awkwardness had grown between us and that was to attempt to break through it.

"I feel like we need to talk about a lot of things." I said.

"About what?"

"Everything that happened since we left Konoha."

"Seems like you have your own agenda." Sasuke muttered, looking away, his gaze drifting to the trees.

I turned to shoot him a look. "Like you don't? I know you have questions for me."

"Maybe you're just paranoid." Sasuke said.

That fired up something inside of me. I could taste something sour on my tongue and felt the blood rush to my face as I glared up at him.

"I'm not paranoid. I just know you." I muttered.

Sasuke turned to shoot me a dark look, one that made my glare melt away from my face as it was replaced with shock. I stared at him with wide eyes, my heart stilling in my chest.

"I'm tired of everyone saying that to me." Sasuke growled.

I could only stare at him, my words stuck in my throat, my hands feeling useless at my sides. I wanted to ward it off, mutter an apology, anything to make it go away. His look was harsh, even for what I had said but I knew, I could sense it underneath his words that it was aimed at more than just me. I had just been the lucky soul to receive it.

He realized this after giving me a good dose of the stare and turned his head away, hiding his face with his hair. I looked away, feeling dazed and confused. Such anger, such rage and for what? What did he get out of it? What did he get out of pushing everyone around him away? I was shivering, remembering the last time such a hateful look had been shot in my direction, I had been pulled shortly after from the rubble of Orochimaru's hideout into Megumi-sensei's arms.

"I'm sorry." He said after a few moments, stunning me even further.

But, I pulled myself together, telling myself that I at least owed him a comeback especially after what he had told me even if he hadn't meant it.

"Hmph." I managed, keeping my head low so that my face couldn't break the seriousness in my words. "I wonder if you even know what that means."

I didn't bother looking up to catch his expression because something in the air shifted and I was barely able to jump out of the way as a whole array of kunai flew out from the trees, all of them aimed in our direction. We scattered then, all of us flying in different directions, concealing ourselves in the greenery.

"Good they learned something in ninja school." A familiar voice called out arrogantly.

My hands balled into tight fists under me as I looked up and caught sight of Karin and the purple-haired shinobi standing in the middle of the clearing. Karin had her arms crossed over her chest, an amused smirk on her lips as she looked around. The purple-haired kunoichi stood with her arms at her sides, her hat positioned so low that again all I could see was the hard line her lips were pressed into.

"But I came to have some fun." Karin grinned.

"Don't you have anything better to do than to stalk people?" I called as Karin shot a dark look in my direction.

"I managed to squeeze you and your pathetic excuse for friends in." She flicked her wrist and down came one of her silver pipes, which she gripped in her hand as she raised it high above her head. "You should be…GRATEFUL!" She slammed the pole into the ground and instantly it rumbled, the ground cracking and falling into itself as the power from her pipe travelled underground. The moment it reached the trees, the ground shifted, falling into itself. I gasped and quickly jumped to higher ground but found that the trees weren't much safer.

"That the best you got!?" Karui darted out from the trees, her sword drawn. Karin caught sight of her and seemed about ready to turn and attack when the purple-haired shinobi extended a hand which immediately broke apart into those slips of paper. The paper shot toward Karui who tried to dispel them all with her sword. I squinted my eyes as she sliced through the sheets. I could make out the explosive tags just at the back of the papers and before I could utter a warning, they exploded, sending Karui flying back, her body slamming into the rubble.

"KARUI!" Omoi shouted, jumping out of his hiding spot, his sword in his fist.

"Don't be stupid!" Samui called, her voice echoing from all around.

But it was too late. He had revealed himself and I could see it our enemies eyes that they knew this too. Karin charged, her pole extended and Omoi brought up his sword to defend himself.

"No!" I shouted and jumped out of my hiding spot just as the purple-haired kunoichi turned to face me.

Karin and Omoi went at it, their weapons clanging loudly as the purple-haired shinobi lifted her arms and more of that paper shot out from the darkness of her sleeves. I began making hand signs and inhaled a mouthful of air.

"Fire Style! Fireball Jutsu!" I exhaled a fiery ball of flame at her attack which incinerated the paper and as it rolled toward her, the purple haired ninja jumped out of the way, her back sprouting those paper wings again.

"Miyuki!" Samui's voice echoed again and I swung around only to find the paper ninja standing behind me. She delivered a sickening kick to my stomach that sent me flying back and knocked the air clean out of my chest. I gagged when I landed and heard Omoi grunting as Karin threw him off balance before aiming her pipe at his feet. He went flying back into the forest and I knew as I heard his body slam into branches before landing, that he was out for the count. A moment later the purple-haired kunoichi stepped in front of me and just as I was about to pull out a kunai, a quick wave of her hand sent that paper of hers around my hands, covering them.

"Stop!" I breathed.

"Oh kid." Karin's voice was close and I looked over at her only to find her coming toward me, a sinister smile on her lips. "It's too late for that."

I heard something cutting through the air and when I turned to look at it I saw a massive curved shuriken shooting toward Karin. She scoffed and blocked it easily with her pole but it disappeared, nothing more than a substitution and suddenly there was another shooting through the air, heading toward the paper shinobi.

She swung around and blocked it but it gave me just enough time to draw my leg back and kick her, throwing her off balance and sending her toward the shuriken which was another substitution. I quickly jumped to my feet just as Karin jumped into the air, her weapon raised high above her head. Sasuke appeared in front of me, his own kunai drawn and their weapons met with a sharp _CLANG_.

"Impressive." Karin said through gritted teeth.

"I'm just getting started." Sasuke growled and I could see his Sharingan in his eyes as he shot her a confident, cruel smirk.

"Hiyaaa!" Samui appeared behind Karin who swung around just in time to block her swift kick that would have hit her square in the back.

"You Genin sure are annoying." Karin grumbled.

"Are they too much for you to handle?" The purple-haired shinobi called from above and I looked to where her body would have been only to find a pile of loose sticks in her place. Another substitution.

"Please." Karin breathed before pushing back Samui who drew her tantō. She turned back to face Sasuke before trying to kick him. Her caught her leg with his free hand and she smirked before flipping her body. She kneed him right in the cheek and that sent him stumbling back as she readied her pole. Samui was there a second later, bringing down her tantō, as Karin pierced her pole into the ground, making it shake and break apart again. The sheer force of it sent Samui back and as Sasuke brought his arms to block the powerful winds, she was charging for him.

 _"_ _Remember the mission, Miyuki. Don't get too attached to them."_

Hideki's words echoed in my head as Karin charged, as Sasuke stood looking like a walking target. She was going to hit him, hurt him, or worse…kill him.

 _"_ _Make sure they don't die unless they have it coming or it's inevitable."_

Megumi-sensei's parting words echoed through my head right after. He had it coming and regardless he was going to get hit. But her pole was raised at just the right angle to pierce his skin. She was going to do more than just blow him away.

I moved, shaking my team's words from my head as I pushed myself forward and felt a familiar tingle shoot through my body as the image of Sasuke's Sharingan filled my head and my Kekkei Genkai took over.

I made it just in time to change the attacks' trajectory and as the pipe sliced the top of my shoulder, it didn't touch Sasuke. I was breathing heavily, sweat dotting my forehead as I looked up at Karin who wore a mystified expression on her face. She stared between Sasuke and me, as if she was trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't.

"It's an illusion." The paper kunoichi called from above just as Karin pushed away from me. It was then that Sasuke stepped forward and caught sight of my face, or better yet, my eyes.

"They look pretty real to me." Karin growled.

"Deep within the Land of Water, hidden behind endless fog, there lies a village whose most elite family of ninja carried a powerful Kekkei Genkai." The kunoichi continued above. "The ability to copy jutsu by just looking at it. The technique is captured instantly, from the moment it is first used and the more their victim uses the jutsu, the stronger the illusion becomes, making it hard to decipher what is real and what is not."

Karin grunted and pushed herself into a defensive position.

"But there is a downfall. The more it is used, the more at risk the user puts themselves. Eye techniques aside can lead to more than just eternal darkness. The more the Kekkei Genkai is used the more the user throws their mind into darkness as well." The kunoichi above shifted. "Using a powerful eye technique such as the Sharingan only pushes along the process."

"Tch." Karin said, amusement lighting her features again. "Two Sharingans? Well, one wannabe and the other a true one. I've been through worse."

"It shouldn't be taken lightly." Samui called. "Illusion or not it still has the same effect."

"What do you expect to accomplish with that trick, kid?" Karin called out to me.

I fought the urge to shoot her a glare and instead focused on the reason I had chosen to use the Sharingan in the first place. The ability to see the unseen, the ability to see where her jutsu began. I could see the chakra flowing through her veins, a bright electric blue. The pipe was empty.

"How did you…" Sasuke's voice drifted over to me and I looked at him, fully faced him as he took my eyes in, shock written all over his face.

"I can explain." I said before nodding toward Karin. "Right after we finish her off."

Sasuke looked like he wanted to say much more but he bit it down choosing instead to turn and face Karin with a determined look on his face.

"Fine." He grumbled.

Another pipe shot down Karin's other sleeve and she pointed both ends at Sasuke and I. I could see it then, the chakra building in the palm of her hand. But, it was more than that. The pipe helped focus the chakra as it built to take over the entire length of space. I watched as it balanced out the unnecessary, shooting it right back up Karin's palm and into her body.

"Those pipes help her balance her chakra." I said.

"I know." Sasuke said.

"We have to get her to let go of them."

"Hmph." Sasuke muttered before running forward. I ran right after him just as Karin fired a wave of wind at us. We both jumped up, narrowly missing the stream. Karin was shifting them up when Sasuke landed on a pole and caught it in his fist. Her wind jutsu ended as I landed back on the ground and thought back to Lee's stance when he fought. _Primary Lotus_ , he had shouted as he bent his arm beneath him and swung his foot straight up, catching the enemy straight under their chin. I did the same and caught Karin directly under her chin, sending her body up into the air as she grunted, her hands only able to hold onto one pole and barely that.

Sasuke kicked the pole away before firing off shuriken at Karin's body. She wiped at her chin and deflected each shuriken sending them all back at Sasuke who used a substitution and appeared behind Karin. He kicked her right at the small of her back, sending her shooting back toward the ground.

She rolled when she landed and barely had time to stand before I shot forward and delivered kick after kick, punch after kick. She barely blocked my hits and seemed a little disoriented, a little overwhelmed with my speed. It was a nice change compared to her arrogant mouth just a few moments ago. I kicked her hard and even though she managed to block it, her body slid back and the purple-haired shinobi landed beside her, a hand pressed to the side of her face.

"We've run out of time." She said.

"Running away so soon?" I panted. "Just when we were starting to have fun?"

Karin glared at me, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. Samui jumped to my side and raised an accusatory finger. Karui coughed and sat up, rubbing her head as she blinked around our small clearing, taking us in. Omoi finally emerged from the forest, looking tired and in pain.

"You're not going anywhere." Samui called. "We're going to capture you and bring you back to our Raikage in the Cloud Village."

"Look at these brats, all demanding for Genin." Karin smirked.

"What about your lesson, huh?" I called out to her. She stiffened at my words before amusement worked back into her features.

"Maybe next time." Karin said before her body as well as the paper kunoichi's burst into a flock of crows, the birds shooting up into the trees, heading for the cloudless blue sky above. We stood frozen at first before I felt the sharp pain behind my eyes and groaned, dropping to my knees as my hands shot up to cover my eyes.

"Miyuki!" Karui called.

"What's wrong?" It was Sasuke's voice, an inkling of concern buried somewhere deep inside but I recognized Samui's hand on my back.

"The aftermath of her Kekkei Genkai when she reaches her limit." Samui said, her voice poised and firm.

I pulled my hands away, my vision blurry. I might not have been able to discern shapes but I could still see colors and the splash of crimson on my hands along with the warm trickle running down my cheeks confirmed I was bleeding.

"She's bleeding…" Karui gasped. I could see a glimmer of her red hair standing just off to the side and what I assumed to be her hands frantically patting down her pockets.

"After using such a powerful Dojutsu, it puts an immense strain on her." Samui said dabbing something soft against my cheeks. I could see the splash of red appearing even brighter against a stark white background and coughed. My head was pounding, my eyes still tingling.

"It's best to use it in one eye but she overexerted herself and used it in both." Samui continued. I could hear the disappointment in her voice but knew that even though she seemed to know I had reached my limit, she didn't know the half of it.

Yes, my Kekkei Genkai gave me the ability to almost cheat in battle by instantly recording hand signs and movements. It had been that way for as long as I could remember and was one of the reasons, according to Megumi-sensei, Orochimaru had taken me. Either way, I hardly used my special ability only during extremely grave situations partly because of the strain it put on my eyes, but mostly because of what happened after, minus the bleeding from my eyes. The purple-haired kunoichi had spoken of eternal darkness and how it would lead to an even darker one found in the depths of the mind. Using the Kekkei Genkai without having a full idea of its power and capabilities, forced the user to lose a part of themselves, which in my bloodline had always led to their downfall.

But, in my case the only difference was that I had never learned control. Focusing the power into one of my eyes took up just as much time and chakra as summoning it and when you were surrounded by people who had always been on the outside looking in, all I had was myself. Which was what using the ability always reminded me of, that no matter what, I would never be able to control it and even if I found a way to, it wouldn't matter because my mind would become consumed by the darkness and control would be the furthest idea from my mind.


	18. Chapter 18:The Story of Miyuki O, PtII

**Chapter 18: The Story of Miyuki Obanji, Pt. II**

It had felt like a dream.

I hadn't wanted to believe that what had felt like a sick and twisted nightmare, could possibly be real. I didn't want to believe that everything I had held dear to my heart was gone, completely out of my reach. But, most of all, I didn't want to believe that now, now I was all alone.

But it was and within a few weeks I had been sent to live in the local orphanage, surrounded by children and adults I refused to connect with, refused to believe understood my pain and sorrow. Sure they had all lost someone, but no one had lost the way I had. No one had suffered the way I had and no one felt the weight of it eating at their chest the way I did. I spent days in bed, hours staring at the same spot on the wall, the horrors from that night becoming clearer in my mind, cementing themselves into my memory.

Food had come and gone and though I couldn't remember eating any of it, I remembered the plates piling up and the annoyance in the nurse's voices as they came in to clean. They complained of the "rancid smell" in the air, about how I rarely moved, how I had stopped speaking. They wondered out loud if I was mute now, if I was just a waste of a body, no soul. I had let them talk, let them pull me out of bed and drag me to the washroom. I had let them detangle my hair, bathe me, and shove fresh clothes back on. I let them push me back to my room and had always climbed back into bed, nestling into the familiar dent at the center, pulling the covers to my chin as I stared back at the same spot.

After a while, the nurses had stopped being nice. Weeks later, they had grown accustomed to pulling me out of bed and toward the playground. I was told I needed to stop acting so spoiled and like I was better than everyone else. They told me that now there was no difference between me and everyone else, we were the same.

But, I had continued to stare off stoically, continued to keep to myself. I would watch the other children play through narrow eyes, which was how I watched the newfound world around me. I felt empty inside, too tired to be angry and too tired to be sad. I just knew smiling was beneath me. I blamed myself, played over all the things I could've done better. But, what I thought the most about was the fact that no matter how much I thought about it, it wouldn't change anything. No amount of thinking and dwelling would bring them back to me.

I was empty, I was alone, and I was starting to believe the nurse's words about me being a waste of a vessel until he sat beside me one day, until he looked me in the eyes and asked me what I wanted. Until he told me that the only way out of my sadness and disappointment was to do something about it.

It had been a crisp fall day and I had been sitting in the same spot I always had on the deck. The leaves had turned orange and brown and had floated to the ground, crunching between the children's feet as they giggled and ran past. I had been pulling at the frayed ends of my shorts, my eyes trained to the ground when someone had slid down beside me I had assumed it was one of the nurse's and waited for them to reach down and pull me to my feet. But no hand came down and there was no sharp pull and slowly, very slowly, I turned my head up to the body sitting beside me.

He looked noble, regal almost with his long hair. His face was narrow, his cheekbones protruding and his eyes were a sharp golden color with narrow slits for pupils. His skin was as white as snow but not in a sickly way like my mother's had been. He had purple markings around his eyes and what struck me was the way he stared out at the children beyond us, a playful smirk lighting his lips and an alluring darkness behind his eyes. He caught me staring and looked down, shooting me a kind smile. My blank expression didn't change. I didn't return his smile and if he minded, he didn't show it.

"What's your name, little girl?" He asked, his voice holding an alluring edge to it, interest burning in his words.

I had wiped at my cheek and looked back at the playing children. Their laughter cut through the air, their smiles made my heart ache distantly. I could hear the nurses getting dinner ready, the clanging of pots and pans. I could feel the soft breeze brushing over my skin.

"I don't know." I had muttered, my voice coarse and I realized that over the past month I hadn't used it. My throat felt tight and dry, my mouth like sandpaper.

He had nodded in response, seeming to chew over my words before placing hands on his knees. He looked out at more than just the children this time, out at the village entirely beyond the gates. He took in the setting sun, the blood orange stretch of sky and the small marshmallow clouds floating in the air.

"How did you end up here?" He asked, a question not meant so much for me, but more for himself.

I remembered the screams and flinched, feeling the hot sting of tears in my eyes as I looked away. It came to me in flashes then, the memories. Sayuri's scream echoing through the halls, Nomaru's limp body thrown to the side, my other siblings scattered throughout the house, and lastly the feeling of Sayuri's blood splashing onto my face, the weight of it pulling down my skin. I coughed, sharp and hoarse and I could feel the faint burning rush across my chest, hovering over the spot where the sword had struck me. It had healed now, to a scar that was slowly fading away, but it still hurt every now and then.

I hugged myself tightly, trying to squeeze the memories away, trying to move away from it as the guilt rose in my chest, as I began to feel like I was about to explode. My house in flames and those murderers smiling down at me, their words like whips on my skin. _Tradition. Bravery. Family_. I was about to cry out when I felt the warmth of a hand come down on my shoulder. I looked up into the man's face to find a gentle expression looking back down at me. He was giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze, but the next words out of his mouth were everything but reassuring.

"What do you want, little girl?"

It sounded like such an odd question to me and it threw me off, made my eyes widen. I had a ton of answers circling my head, a hundred desires on my tongue. I wanted Sayuri back. I wanted everything that had happened to un-happen. I wanted to hold Sayuri again, protect her and tell her that everything was going to be alright one more time. I wanted to feel my mother's touch, feel her lips brush against my cheek. I wanted my father's hand to give me a reassuring pat on my head and to feel his over my own as he led me to school in the mornings. I wanted to hear my brothers and sisters laughing, wanted to see them running around and not these kids who blended into each other.

"I-I-" I flushed then, feeling overwhelmed, feeling my emotions high in my chest. So many wants, so many desires. I wanted them all again even if it was fleeting, even if it meant I could hold them all for just a second. A second was better than what I had now. A second was better than what I was living with.

"I don't know." I choked, tears sliding down my cheeks.

I had thought after that, surely he was done with me, this strange man with his strange questions. But he returned each day and each moment he sat with me he'd reveal just a little bit about himself. His name was Orochimaru and he was a great shinobi, a legendary ninja called a Sanin. He was from the Hidden Leaf Village, a majestic village I had only read about, the village whose Kage faces were carved into a stone wall, their powerful faces looking over the village, their gaze forward, to the horizon, or as Orochimaru had said, to the future. He told me of his teammates, fellow Sanin, a hot headed kunoichi with impossible strength and a flashy, eccentric pervert of shinobi. He spoke of his sensei, the current Kage of the Leaf Village, and subtly hinted at his own pain.

He ended each conversation with the same questions and finally I had managed to answer the first two, but failing to answer the last one. I told him of my pain first before elaborating on my family. I told him of my mother's beauty, my father's sage-like words, and my endless siblings. I never spoke of Sayuri, afraid that merely mentioning her would cause my memory of her to fade. But, then the last question would come and it would be just as hard to answer, the emotions stuck in my chest, all that I wanted heavy on my tongue, my mouth pressed into, no contorting into a deep scowl.

But, like all the other answers, I managed to give him one the night he came for me, the night he burst into my room, clamping a hand over my mouth to still my screaming. I had stared up at him, my eyes wide, my heart slamming in my chest as he stared down at me, sweat dotting his brow. He had pulled his hand away and I heard it, the distant sound of warring and loud voices, a raid of some sort.

"Miyuki." Orochimaru had breathed, panic in his voice. "I need you to answer the question."

I had blinked at him, confused. "Wh-wh—"

"What do you want, Miyuki?" He asked, his voice sharp, sharp enough to make me flinch.

I looked back, the sounds getting closer and closer. They were angry, furious and they scared me. I looked back at Orochimaru, his eyes focused on the window.

"I don't know." I managed, my voice low.

"No." Orochimaru growled, his brow knitting together with frustration. "You do know. You've known since the first day we spoke."

My eyes widened. He knew? He knew what I could barely wrap my head around? He knew what my jumbled emotions had made it hard for me to focus on? How? How did he know?

"Now, Miyuki." Orochimaru breathed, his voice shaking, his words slightly less frustrated. "Tell me, be honest. What do you want?"

The voices were close now, just at the front gate and I could hear the nurses running up the hall, hear the sound of the door downstairs getting kicked in. Icy fear filled my veins as I thought, really thought long and hard about what I could possibly want, what more the world could give me.

"You lost everything! Your family, your namesakes honor, your pride and your home. You've been thrown into this poor excuse of a livings place, thrown into a place where you'll become, where you're becoming, forgettable! Is that what you want?!"

He grasped at my shoulders then, shaking me as my eyes widened in my skull. I didn't want any of that. I didn't want to be forgotten, not really. I wanted to believe someone out there could care about me, that someone out there no matter what, wouldn't give up. I wanted my family back and Sayuri too, but I didn't want to be forgotten.

"Don't you want revenge? Don't you want to make your brother and sister pay for what they did to you? For taking your mother and father away from you? Your brothers and sisters? Don't you want them to pay for leaving you for dead? What about Sayuri?"

I gasped, the door flying open downstairs, thunderous voices filling the foyer.

"WHERE IS HE?!"

"WHERE IS THAT MONSTER?!"

"OROCHIMARU! WE KNOW YOU'RE IN HERE!"

I looked back at him, my breath in my throat. The mob, the angry voices, were all here for him.

"Now Miyuki what do you want? Tell me what you want!" Orochimaru snapped, his hands still on my shoulders, his voice urgent and beads of sweat sliding down the side of his face. I felt it then, a sharp surge within me. Shooting out of my many desires was the one burning desire, one that had been there all along, one I had always brushed over.

"I don't want revenge." I managed, my body trembling. "I want to protect someone, I want to dedicate my life to someone. I want to make up for what I couldn't do. I want to learn to fight! I want to make sure no one I love dies ever again!"

This seemed to shock Orochimaru and for a moment he stared at me, his eyes wide. But, he composed himself as the sound of heavy footsteps sounded by the stairs. He rose and extended a hand.

"Then come with me." He said. "And I'll make sure that no one hurts you ever again."

I swallowed, staring at his extended hand, knowing that we were running out time and knowing that his offer wouldn't stand for very long. I had to make a decision and I had to make it now. I had nothing now and if I was already becoming forgettable, there was no sense in staying. I didn't allow myself another second to think and slid my hand into his, allowing him to pull me out from under my covers and into his arms. The footsteps were just outside my door when we jumped out of the window and I squeezed my eyes shut, wrapping my arms around his neck as we ran off into the night and I told myself that I would never look back.


	19. Chapter 19: Enter! The Forest of Death I

**Chapter 19: Enter! The Forest of Death Pt. I!**

I was trying to put it all behind me.

The attendant unlocked our gate door and eased it open, stepping back as we braced ourselves, my muscles tensing. We stared out into the impending forest, hearing it's sounds, distant twigs snapping, birds calling, animals slithering. It was all sounds we were used to and yet, they all seemed bigger this time, and everything a little more ominous. I thought back to our briefing with Megumi-sensei, how I had thrown everything I knew on the table except for the strange connection I had felt to Karin and the memory of the red-eyed girl. I had told her about the Akatsuki and Itachi and I remembered how she had reacted, as if the news was nothing, as if it didn't bother her at all.

Hideki had been trying to put two and two together, trying to build a connection between the Akatsuki and Orochimaru which Megumi-sensei had waved off. Though overall it was unlikely, shaking the idea completely felt just as wrong as ignoring it. Then, there was the Rain mission and though we had completed it, all of us meeting up in the village, Sasuke hadn't said a word to me. After the fight with Karin and the Akatsuki member, he had waited for me to stop bleeding as the Cloud ninja did before taking off. Sasuke and I had walked in silence to the Rain village and though it had been agony, it had felt well deserved. Of course, him ignoring my existence after the fact felt uncalled for. But, I hadn't had a chance to pull him aside and I had seen enough of his apartment to last me a life time.

"Ready?" Hideki's voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I looked up as Kyoske shot him a confident grin. I balled my hands into tight fists, pushing it all behind me, telling myself that the mission at hand was more important, that the Forest of Death required all of my attention. I wasn't here to make friends and yes winning over Sasuke was important but not entirely necessary. I couldn't force something with someone who wasn't there, who wasn't willing to let anyone in. I just had to put myself one step ahead of him and beat Orochimaru to him.

"Yeah." I breathed, forcing a smile on my lips as Anko's voice came over the loudspeaker.

"Alright maggots! The second part of the Chunin Exams has begun!"

That was all it took to send us into the forest and we propelled forward, sending chakra to our feet to run even faster. Moments later there was the sound of distant fighting, weapons hitting each other, people grunting, a few screaming. Kyoske grinned as we moved to higher ground, darting into the thick branches before we settled a few yards in. We eased down into a few steady branches and Hideki pulled out our Earth scroll from his back pocket.

"We need a plan." He said.

"What? Destroying and annihilating everyone we come into contact with not good enough?" Kyoske asked.

"Be serious." I said. "The ninja in here are going to come with everything they have. It's more than just Genjutsu tricks. A lot of these shinobi won't hesitate to kill."

Kyoske groaned. "Ugh! Miyuki I know that! I've met Gaara."

"We have the Sound ninja to worry about as well." Hideki added.

"We should go for them first then." I said. "Make sure they don't make it to tower."

"Yeah the more we get rid of the less of a challenge they'll be." Kyoske said.

Hideki shook his head. "I'm not worried about all of them."

"Team Dosu?" I asked. I remembered the picture of them. Hideki had slid it across the table this weekend and though they looked vicious, Dosu himself a little unsettling, we had agreed that we had seen far worse. There was Kin, a senbon user, with long, floor-length black as night hair, Zaku with his snarky smile and spiky black hair, and Dosu, heavily bandaged except for his left eye, his back hunched over, his single eye crazed. Out of the Sound ninja participating in the exams, they raised the most attention but then again, looks could be deceiving.

Hideki managed a nod before slipping the scroll back into his weapons pouch. "They're the only ones I couldn't get a good read on."

"Not to forget all their information sounds made up." Kyoske added.

"It just surprises me that they could be given the okay to take part in the exams."

"Maybe ANBU is on to them."

"Or maybe ANBU overlooked them." Hideki said and stood up.

"So what are we doing? Some spying?" Kyoske asked.

"No." Hideki said. "We're going to hunt them down and see what they know."

Kyoske smirked, rising to his feet. "So we're going to have some fun."

I could hear the deadly edge in his voice and knew we would be doing a lot more than asking questions. The truth was, we didn't trust the Sound and looking at all of them confirmed that in some way, shape and form, they were attached to Orochimaru. We might not have had information to back it up, but we felt it and if anyone new Orochimaru, it was us, his once prized experiments. Regardless, I was ready for whatever came our way and I would go above and beyond and was willing, after everything, to get a little bit of blood on my hands.

"We're being watched." Hideki breathed and that was when I felt it. It wasn't just one body, it was multiple bodies scattered around us, multiple chakra levels. They were concealed in the forest but I could still sense them, all on the ready for an attack. I wasn't sure how long they had been there but then realized that was why Hideki had taken out the scroll, to show them all who had it. But, something told me they weren't after the scroll.

That was when a strange ball of energy enveloped us and everything around sounded disoriented until the pain began, radiating down our ear canals and into our skulls. I gasped, my hands shooting up to cover my ears, to try and alleviate the sharp pain ringing through my head but it didn't help. The sharp sound, like a ting, a sharp chime, felt like it was inside of me, starting from within me and not an outside force. My legs felt wobbly and before I knew it, I was slipping off the firm branch, heading to the ground where I landed, hard. Kyoske and Hideki landed beside me, Kyoske squirming and groaning while Hideki grinded his teeth together.

It was an unbearable sound and when it ended, I was gasping for air, a cold sweat washing over my body as I could only lie there. Feet landed on the ground around us and I knew we were all vulnerable as we rolled onto our backs. My vision was blurry, but I could make out faces that connected to bodies and then there was the forehead protectors, the music note on the front. Kyoske groaned, probably seeing the same thing and my mind raced with ideas of what to do next.

"We figured we'd beat you to hunting us down." A snarky voice chuckled darkly. "Dosu knew you'd be protecting those Leaf brats and he wants Uchiha all to himself."

I coughed and felt something warm trickling out of my ears. I lifted a hand, pressing it to the warmth and brought my hand back, recognizing the crimson dot as blood.

"They've been watching us." Hideki coughed weakly.

A snicker broke out.

"That's right. We know all about you protecting that Uchiha brat and his little friends. He's seen all of you, especially you girl." Someone pressed the bottom of their shoe against the side of my face and I cried out as they pressed down.

"Miyuki!" Kyoske grunted. I was still too weak to reach up and swat their hand away so I had to lie there and take it.

"Don't worry though, we'll make this quick." There was the sound of something sharp being pulled from its holster and I felt my body tense. We had been through worse, disorienting sound wave and all. These shinobi thought they had us right where they wanted us but what they didn't know was that Orochimaru often pitted us against each other in worser conditions.

Hideki was the first to move, jumping to his feet and delivering a sweeping kick to one part of the group and the flash of silver revealed it was the part that had drawn weapons. The shinobi grunted and fell back and just as the others were drawing their weapons, Kyoske stood up and drew his sword. He swung it around and I heard it break through flesh as a few groans rang out. The group was off their feet and as Kyoske reached down to pull me to mine, I took a breath to prepare myself. The only way to deal with this was to let my emotions take over. They had come to us which cut our job in half and they had thought they would win. But, we were stronger than them which was why they had led with a jutsu that would stun us, blurry our vision and weaken us. But, we were beyond our senses and using those parlor tricks would only make us angrier.

"So let me get this straight." Kyoske said as he looked at the fallen Sound ninja. "You idiots follow Dosu?"

"He commanded you to attack us, to distract us while he went for Uchiha?" Hideki asked. "Why?"

"Like we'd ever tell you!" One of the ninja growled, rising to his feet and drawing a kunai. He wasn't the only one either. A few others pushed themselves to their feet and drew weapons as well, which made Kyoske snicker.

"I'd think about what you're about to do." I said. "And I want you to ask yourselves if it's worth it. You don't know us very well or what we're capable of and already my teammates are in a foul mood."

"Shut up!" A girl snapped at me, lifting two kunai, her eyes dark. "We're not here to talk things out. We're here to end you!"

"Funny." Kyoske said with a dark smirk, his head lowering, his bangs covering his eyes. "We're angry enough to do the same."

I knew there was no going back then. The look in Hideki's eyes said as much. We wouldn't let them run away. There was no going back. Dosu was the top dog, they had and he was heading after Team 7 which meant we didn't have much time. Hideki moved first, building chakra in his hand just before shooting a fist forward, connecting it to one of the Sound ninja's chests. Their eyes widened and they let out a cough, blood spewing out. There had been enough chakra in Hideki's hand to not only burst through the ninja's chest but in his case to make their heart palpitate, or better yet as their eyes grayed a little, explode. Another sharp cough forced more blood out of their mouth and then the ninja dropped.

There was a quick round of silence before the Sound ninja charged for us and Kyoske moved first, bringing down his sword. I dodged an incoming attack from the kunoichi with two kunai raised and managed to catch one of her wrists. She gasped as I twisted her wrist, her kunai flinging to the ground and kicked another incoming ninja in the groin. He groaned, falling back as I pulled the girls arm around, pressing her bicep to her throat. She coughed harshly and groaned in pain as I pulled a few kunai out of her holster and aimed them for another round of incoming Sound ninja, catching all of them in vital places.

Hideki was working his way through his group, slicing and kicking through the incoming ninja like they were nothing but training dummies. Kyoske was slicing and slashing, hitting his targets like the expert swordsman we had always known him to be. The girl beneath me shifted, bringing a fist to the side of my ribs and I grunted, bringing one of my knees behind hers, forcing her to her knees. I released her arm and before she could move away, pulled her into a headlock. She was lifting a hand to her kunai holster but I kicked it away and pressed my heel on top of it, making her groan. I could hear other Sound ninja charging from behind and knew I had to make this quick.

I steadied the girl with one arm around her neck while I placed a hand at the top of her head and in one sharp twist, the sound of her neck snapping echoed throughout the forest. I turned just in time to meet the group and jumped into the air, delivering one sharp kick after the other.

"Miyuki!" Hideki called out from above and I saw him standing on top of the tree we had fallen out of just as a ninja brought a kunai down to his water clone. I jumped up, landing in a branch at the same time as Kyoske.

"Water Style! Raging Waves!" As the stream of water left Hideki's lips, Kyoske and I sent kunai to the Sound ninja below, pinning a few to the ground as well as hitting a few others in their legs, making them drop. They screamed as the crushing wave of water slammed into them and I watched as Kyoske jumped even higher, motioning for us to do the same. We rose higher right before he jumped out of the tree, his hands weaving signs.

"Water Style!" He breathed, sucking in a breath. "Super Exploding Water Shockwave!" The water that came out from his mouth covered the entire clearing and even though it was muffled, whatever survivors Hideki's attack had left behind, Kyoske's finished. Kyoske held the attack for a few minutes, just for measure and when he finally released it, the waves rippling out into the forest, we stared down at the bodies below.

"That'll teach them." Kyoske grunted, his eyes dark.

I was ready to agree with him when a sharp sting shot through my neck, making me gasp. The sting grew and grew until it became a sharp, fiery pain that made my knees buckle.

"Miyuki what's wr—" Hideki was struck with it next, his hands shooting up to his neck, his fingers digging into his curse mark as he groaned and stumbled back, hitting himself against the tree bark. Kyoske was last and his eyes nearly bulged out of his skull as he cried out, curling into a ball on his tree branch, his breaths short.

It was a pain we knew intimately, a pain we had all been forced to suffer through but time was against us now. It had been years since we had last seen Orochimaru and the burning sting that shot through our bodies, that made my head feel hot, my senses jumbled, reminded us that no matter what, he had control over us. I let my hand trail up the side of my neck before it came down just inches from the source of my pain. I could feel the mark pulsing as my stomach turned sour, bile rising to my throat.

"He-he's close." I breathed, turning onto my side as the boys groaned. He was very close, just nearby, just a few feet away and I knew the closer we got to him, the more pain would course through our veins until we were standing right in front of him.

"Then what are we-we waiting for?" Kyoske growled through clenched teeth, sweat dotting his forehead. "Let's go rip that bastard a new one."

"N-n-no." I panted. "Sas-sasuke."

"Forget him." Hideki groaned. "Orochimaru is our priority not that boy."

I wanted to fight back but knew it wasn't worth it. What was there to fight about? They were right. Sasuke was second on our priority list and now Orochimaru was so close. I pushed myself to my feet, my knees wobbly as I fought with the part of me that said to break away and find Sasuke instead. I shot another glance over my shoulder and cringed as a new wave of pain from the mark shot through my body.

Hideki was right. Orochimaru was our priority and it was time to end this, expose him for the snake he really was. Past aside, he was a bad man. The things he did to people, the lives he ruined, the bodies left in his wake…he needed to be stopped.

We let the pain lead us to him and my vision was going double. We were standing in a dark and dank clearing, heavy moss hanging from the trees and as we looked up there was a Rain ninja standing on the highest branch. I recognized her as being the one who had brought back Anko's kunai after he had tried to scare Naruto.

"My children!" The woman breathed with a snake-like smile. We tensed, her voice not hers but _his_ , smooth and alluring as it wrapped around us, made us stiffen. The woman chuckled at our reaction and and offered us her hands.

"You've returned." The woman said.

"Stop cowering behind your stupid bodies!" Kyoske yelled. "Come down here and fight us!"

The woman chuckled darkly, folding her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowing. "Oh my little Kyoske…still not thinking before you speak."

Kyoske's hands balled into tight fists at his sides as his glare deepened. Hideki pulled out a kunai from his pouch and gripped it in his hand.

"You've all grown up." The woman said before her eyes cut over to me and I felt all the blood rush out from my face. "Especially you my little Miyu."

"Don't speak to her." Hideki growled.

I swallowed and nearly choked in the process, which made the woman laugh. "Nervous?" She asked, her thin lips curving into a smile.

"That's it." Kyoske growled. "I'm done talking." He moved then, jumping and drawing his sword, aiming for the woman's chest. The woman's smile deepened into a cruel grin as powerful winds surrounded the space between her and Kyoske and his body went flying back, slamming into a tree just behind us. The winds grew harsher and I felt my body sliding back, my arms swinging up to shield my face.

"Miyuki! Watch out!" Hideki called out to me sharply and I looked up just in time to see a huge snake tail swinging down toward me. I gasped and jumped back toward Kyoske. The tail slammed into the spot I had been standing in and suddenly there it was standing between us and the now cackling woman, hissing at us.

"Where did that come from?!" Kyoske shouted from below.

"You know how much he loves his little pets." Hideki grunted before jumping toward the snake and delivering a hard punch to its head. The snake hissed, it's body swaying from side to side.

Kyoske came shortly after and plunged his sword into the snake's neck, dragging his blade along the length of its body before ending at its throat. He jumped back, the snake hissing the whole time, and landed on a tree trunk, raising his sword in a defensive position. The massive snake burst into a countless array of snakes that shot toward us. We made hand signs as they neared us and inhaled at the same time.

"Fire Style! Fire ball Jutsu!" Our attacks rammed into the snakes, burning clean through them before powering through to where the woman stood. Her laughter echoed through the passing breeze and when we ended our jutsu she was nowhere to be seen.

"Impressive." Orochimaru's voice said through the passing breeze.

"Come out here and fight us!" Kyoske growled. "Don't be a coward!"

"Be careful what you wish for kid."

We all swung around at the sound of the new voice and for Hideki and Kyoske, it was just in time to see two other Rain ninja flying toward them. The Rain ninja kicked them square in the chest, sending them flying out from the trees before gravity forced them to land hard on their back.

"Kyoske! Hideki!" I called as the Rain ninja jumped out from the trees and landed a few feet away from the boys.

"Don't worry about us!" Kyoske growled. "Miyuki don't let your guard down! He's still out there!"

I shuddered at their words and began to look around the trees, my paranoia eating away at my chest. Just the thought of him slinking around through the trees, watching me and waiting for the perfect moment to strike filled with me an icy fear that I hadn't felt in years. I remembered last feeling it when he had pushed me into a darkened room, a room that had numbed my senses as snakes slithered around at my feet. There had been more than just snakes in the room, other test subjects lying in wait, other test subjects who had been there far longer than I had and had been pitted against me just as I had begun to find it hard to breathe.

I pulled a kunai from my holder and got into a defensive stance, my heart slamming in my chest. There was no point in looking back, especially not right now. I had to focus, had to stay in the moment. He had taught me the importance of that, of staying focused, of always staying on my toes because I would never know when my enemy would be—

"Behind you." His voice was like ice on my skin. I was about to swing around when field snakes shot out from the Rain woman's sleeves and wrapped around me, holding me in place and making it impossible to turn.

"Miyuki!" Kyoske called as one of the Rain ninja swiped at him with their own sword.

I couldn't breathe. My eyes were wide in my head as I thought back to all that this hold could do to a person. Squeeze the life out of them, break their bones…

He had always invented new ways of defending himself and I wouldn't be surprised if he could charge electricity through the snakes and shock me. The Rain woman's mouth was just on the outside of my ear, her lips grazing the skin, her breath hot as it washed over the side of my face and neck. I was panting, sweating big, heavy drops of sweat that dripped down my face and back.

"I can smell your fear." Orochimaru whispered in my ear, which made me shiver and him chuckle. Then his hands were on my hair, smoothing it to the side, to the left where the cursed mark laid.

"Leave her alone!" Hideki yelled.

"They sealed your mark, blocked you from your true power." Orochimaru said as I shivered under his snakes. His fingers smoothed over the mark, the three tomoe near the back of my neck. I had always managed to hide the mark with my hair, but now as the stiff air washed over it, I could feel the mark weighing me down, feel a distant ache emanating from it.

"Don't you wish to be free from their chains?" Orochimaru whispered in my ear. "Free from their control?"

"Miyuki!" Don't listen to him!" Kyoske growled. "You get the _hell_ away from her!"

The Rain woman turned her head away from my ear and turned to glare down at the boys. "Silence!"

His words were sharp, like a knife and the boys froze, the other Rain ninja hesitating. Two pythons shot out from the ground a few inches from where the boys stood and before I could manage a warning, before the boys could even defend themselves, the snakes shot forward, sinking their teeth in their neck, into their cursed marks.

"You've all been blocked from your true power, your true natures." Orochimaru breathed, not bothering to mask his disappointment and disgust.

"Pl-please." I breathed, my voice small as the snakes tightened their grip around my body.

"Don't worry my children." Orochimaru said, his voice carrying over the field, filling the air. "I will free you from all that binds you."

"N-no." I squeaked, hot tears stinging my eyes as he cupped a hand over my mark. I flashed back to when Megumi-sensei had done the same, to each of us and by the end of it, collapsed from the sheer exhaustion. They were powerful seals, a technique she had learned from a Seal master in the Land of Rice and there was Orochimaru about to rip away all of her hard work.

"It will all be over soon." Orochimaru said, a hand moving through my hair, as if he was trying to calm me. "And soon you'll have a new brother…"

I shivered, thinking to Sasuke. I didn't want to imagine him with the seal, but I could. I didn't want to imagine him going through the same pain as us or even worse, going to Orochimaru, believing in his false words.

"St-stay away from him." I growled, surprised at the strength and firmness in my voice.

That was when Kyoske and Hideki screamed from down below and I saw them drop to their knees, their hands shooting up to grip the snakes that were still attached to their necks. They were in pain and I could already see in their faces that the seals that had kept us from pain were breaking. The sharp and powerful pain we had felt leading us to Orochimaru was nothing compared to the one that consumed when the seal was off.

"From who?" Orochimaru asked, the hand in my hair moving down to my throat.

I clenched my teeth together, my mind racing. I didn't have much time left before he removed my seal as well.

"U-Uch-Uchiha." I managed before sucking in a big breath and fighting against the snakes pressure to turn and face him behind his mask of the Rain woman.

His eyes widened with mock surprise and his grip around my throat tightened, making me gasp. His eyes turned a shade darker inside the woman's skull as a sinister chuckle escaped his throat. Below, the pythons released Kyoske and Hideki who collapsed, their eyes wide and gray.

"What are we going to do with her?" One of the Rain ninja called from below.

"I think you should worry about what my boys will be doing to you." Orochimaru said, his voice like venom, his eyes crazed. The Rain ninja turned to see Kyoske and Hideki on their feet, their mark seeping out it's dark aura, their mark glowing and spreading across their skin. Except, they weren't them anymore. They lifted their heads, their eyes still wide, the color gray, but there was something else, something just as dark behind their eyes. They weren't in control anymore.

"NO! KYOSKE! HIDEKI! DON'T DO IT!" I shouted but it was too late, they shot forward. Kyoske kicked one of the Rain ninja in the chest and I watched his eyes bulge as he went flying back. Hideki punched his opponent in the face and as they went spiraling back, Hideki appeared behind him and delivered a sickening blow to the back of his head as well. Kyoske was chuckling as he drew his sword from the ground and took measured and careful steps toward the Rain ninja.

I turned to glare at Orochimaru who was watching with interested eyes, an amused smirk playing on his lips.

"Stop them." I snapped.

"You know there's no stopping them until the job is done." Orochimaru chuckled just as one of the Rain ninja cried out. I looked back only to see Kyoske slicing and slashing at his ninja, a sick chuckle escaping from his lips as their blood went everywhere, on the grass, on the tree bark, on his clothes and even on his face. Hideki stood a little away and was proving he was faster than his opponent, always appearing at the last possible second and giving a quick jab to vital spots. His opponent was a second away from collapsing when Kyoske pulled out a handful of durable and transparent thread, wrapping it tightly around the ninja's neck, making him gag.

"HIDEKI!" I screamed, the snakes moving even tighter around my body. I couldn't stand back anymore. I had to do something. I struggled to make sense of my limbs inside the snake and managed to flick my wrist. Doing that allowed me to use my next Jutsu, one I had learned from Orochimaru himself.

The snakes confining me began to rumble and just as Orochimaru was turning to shoot me a look, his snakes shook before quite literally tearing apart, the white pythons bound tightly around my arms hissing as they rose up before flying toward Orochimaru who managed to dodge them all.

"Interesting!" Orochimaru called, landing in a branch a few feet away from me.

Kyoske was finishing up hacking at his opponent down below, the ninja's cries falling silent. Hideki, his wires attached to kunai sent them flying in both directions, aimed at trees that were about a good yard away. While the string was long enough to make it to the tree bark, the pressure around the Rain ninja's neck wasn't. He cried out, his beady eyes wide as his hands shot up to try and grasp at the string. I was pulling a kunai out from my holster and was getting ready to throw it when Orochimaru appeared, kicking me in my shoulder, throwing my aim off balance and sending my kunai up instead of at the scuffle in the clearing. The kunai were still flying through the air when the Rain ninja's head came clean off from the pressure, his blood shooting into the air, raining to the ground, a few drops splashing onto his face.

"NO!" I screamed as Hideki cringed, the markings spreading further along his skin, covering a third of his body instead of half. Kyoske's markings spread further as well and while they had covered half of his body before, they spread to cover everything but his right arm. They both cried out and dropped to the ground, their bodies trembling and twitching before they stopped altogether.

"Don't worry Miyuki my girl. Sasuke boy is in good hands." Orochimaru said before jumping into the air.

I pulled out a kunai and readied it in my hands as I waited for him to make his next move, bracing myself for the worst.

"I'm not gonna let you ruin him like you ruined me." I growled.

Orochimaru chuckled. "Ruined you? Miyuki, my dear, I granted your wish."

I flinched, remembering my answer to his question that night. I remembered the determination burning in my eyes as well, the feeling in my chest that screamed how much I meant it, how much I had wanted it. I shook off the memory as Orochimaru laughed, lifting a hand to touch and pull at the skin on his face. My eyes widened as it broke away and I could see a glimpse of the face I remembered from back then, the golden snake eyes and the purple markings around them.

"I heard you and Sasuke boy have been getting along well…spending time alone together…"

I shivered at the thought of him lurking just beyond the shadows and then remembered that he had probably never done it himself. He couldn't without us feeling him near, but that wouldn't stop him from sending one of his followers to do the watching for him.

"You _bastard_!" I snapped.

"But I think you're under the impression that you can change his deepest desire." Orochimaru said, his eyes turning cold. "Which if you think that Miyuki girl, that means you haven't learned anything from me after all these years."

He jumped into the air and out from his sleeves shot several snakes, all aimed at me. I began slicing at a few of them but in the blink of an eye there was just too many of them until Orochimaru's head appeared at the center and his mouth opened to reveal a thin white snake who opened its mouth and produced his Sword of Kusanagi. I gasped and lifted my kunai in defense until I remembered what the blade could do.

Our blades met and there was a distinct- _CLANG_ -before his sword began to cut through my kunai. I gritted my teeth and broke away from the sword, backing deeper into the depths of the trees and away from his falling snakes. When I managed to skid to a stop, I could only take a breath before a sharp hissing from my left made me jump up right before another massive snake bashed its body against the tree I had just stood in. Another hissing from my right barely gave me time to dodge it and I was caught in the aftermath as the snake whizzed past me, slamming into a nearby tree. I went flying to the ground and landed, hard. The air rushed out of my lungs and I broke into a coughing fit as Orochimaru's voice called out to me from above.

"With as much time as you've spent together, one would think you'd have at least some sort of idea about him."

I pushed myself onto all fours, my harsh cough making my chest ache.

"But you've barely scratched the surface haven't you? Why don't I tell you about him then?"

One of the snakes dove for me again and I dodged it, barely. It was huge but fast, faster than I had expected. Which meant I needed something a little bit stronger than measly kunai. I was fumbling through the tiny scrolls in my weapons pouch, searching for just the right one as the other snake came up on my right, it's mouth opening as a warning hiss slipped out.

"There's a rage inside of him." Orochimaru began, leaning against the tree he was standing in. "Dark and blistering and…beautiful. It's what gets him up each morning, what pushes him forward each day. His main goal is what I thought you wanted at first, after what happened to your family, your parents, your little sister…little Sayuri."

I flinched at the mere mention of her name, an emotion shooting across my chest. Suddenly she was in my head, my baby sister reaching for me, her laughter ringing in my ears. I could feel the hot tears gathering in my eyes and when I blinked it was over and the only thing coming toward me was an open-mouthed snake. I jumped up, dodging it and watching as it slammed into the tree that had been behind me and knocked it over. But I didn't see the snake tail on my left and it hit me sending me back to the ground.

"He wants revenge." Orochimaru growled. "He wants to make his brother pay and who would I be to ignore his desire? He knows the way he is, that he won't stand a chance against him, and he's willing to do whatever it takes to get that power."

I coughed and looked up at him. He stood confidently above, still with his amused smile, his eyes bright as they took me in. His face was smooth and taut underneath the Rain woman's skin.

"People can change." I managed, sweat dotting my forehead. "He'll realize that he doesn't need the power you can give him."

"No my dear," Orochimaru chuckled. "You mean power I've already _given_ him."

My eyes widened as I pushed myself up, my hands on my knees. "Wh-what?"

Orochimaru chuckled and ran a hand through his long hair. "Sasuke boy will seek me out, will desire the power only I can give him. That's inevitable, Miyuki my dear."

"No!" I growled.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "It's too late."

A dark shadow appeared above me and I looked up only to see the two snakes throwing themselves toward me. I pulled out one of the scrolls and barely glancing, unlocked it and slammed my hand at the center of it, summoning it. As the snakes neared me, I stood on top of my summoned weapon, a Jidanda, an iron ball with spikes covering it. I gripped the handle in my fists and back-flipped off of it before pulling it along, making sure to dodge the twin snake attack.

When both snakes landed, I jumped up, swinging the massive weapon high above my head before attaching a spike to the end of it. I swung it back down toward the snakes who were starting to rise and it slammed onto their heads, sending them back to the ground before it exploded on top of them, blowing their heads to pieces. The sharp winds and flames from the blast sent me back, but I managed to land on a tree branch across from Orochimaru. I was panting, my brows pulling together.

"Wh-what did you-you do to him?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

A snarky smile spread over his lips along with his tongue which rolled out, long and lean ,to wipe at his mouth. "I granted his wish."

I didn't want to believe it, to believe him. I wanted him to burst out laughing, tell me I was a fool for even considering his words. But he was dead serious, and the sad part was that I knew him well enough to know that at least.

"You're a monster." I growled.

He chuckled in response before shooting his tongue toward me. I lifted a fist and it wrapped around it, pulling me forward sharply. I tried to pull in my own resistance but it was futile and there was no sense in pulling when he had an iron grip. I pulled out a kunai and swiftly cut his tongue off my wrist as my body slammed against his tree's trunk and I groaned while falling back.

"It's funny." He called before I heard the sound of something falling from above and the soft crunch of grass as whatever it was landed a few feet away from me. His hand came down, pulling me up by the front of my shirt before slamming my back against the trunk.

"People used to say the same thing about you." He growled, his voice filled with venom. I shivered, my eyes wide being as close as I was to him. Just staring into his eyes was enough to make my insides quake, and staring into his eyes flew me back to the past where my jumbled and fuzzy memories collided into what felt like one terrible nightmare.

"And soon…" Orochimaru chuckled, his slit pupils dilating. "They'll say the same about our beloved Sasuke."

I could hardly breathe. His hand came down on my neck and I screamed, a gut-wrenching, all-consuming scream as a fiery, intense, and sharp pain filled my body. It made my eyes roll to the back of my head, my body tremble and it grew worse by the minute because the seal was breaking and once it broke…once it broke...

I could see Sasuke in my head, the shock in his eyes as he realized what was being transferred into his body was worse than poison. As Orochimaru's teeth would pull away from his skin, the mark would rise to the surface and with it would come the first round of sharp pains. But, what came after that would involve his survival. The one in ten survival rate, the countless others before him who had received the mark and had died, the mark consuming them and either killing them as they went through it, or forcing them to kill themselves.

"Sasuke will come looking for me, seeking the power he so desires." Orochimaru said, his head lowering to my ear, his hand sliding down to my throat. "And I'll tell you the same thing I told that girl as she watched him squirm and cry out."

I could imagine poor Sakura then, her green eyes wide as she watched Sasuke cry out, watched the mark begin to seep its dark aura. I could see Naruto lying somewhere on the side and knew, knew that if he had been awake, Sasuke wouldn't have been marked. Naruto would have blocked it somehow or better yet, Naruto would have unleashed some of his Jinchūriki powers and ended Orochimaru right on the spot. But he wasn't there and Sakura…Sakura was all alone now, unsure what had been done to Sasuke and unsure if Naruto would be awake in time to help her fight in the Forest.

And as for us…we had failed…again.

He released me and I fell forward, Orochimaru's voice following me down.

"And there's nothing you can do about it."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks for the support, the reviews, and of course thanks so much for reading! Glad some people are getting addicted and I hope the comments keep coming!


	20. Chapter 20:Enter! The Forest of Death II

***AUTHOR'S NOTE- You're either going to hate it or live with it (here's to what everyone has probably been waiting for)! Don't forget to review! Thanks again for the awesome comments and feedback!***

 **Chapter 20: Enter: The Forest of Death Pt. II**

For years, I had been plagued by the same nightmare.

I had been a little girl, a little younger than Sayuri and had been standing outside of my house, giggling. I could hear some sort of argument brewing inside, the sound of heavy footsteps stomping down on the wood floors and suddenly, the front door swung open. My laughter had cut short and I had stared up at the darkened doorway, my heartbeat stilling in my chest.

I had continued staring for a few seconds more before the terror struck me, the sheer terror in the unknown, in the unseen. I had been turning then, had been ready to run when she darted out from the darkness, and wrestled me onto my back, pressing a kunai to the base of my throat.

"Ru-Ru-Rukia." I had breathed as the blade pressed deeper into my neck.

"Let me show you how much I hate you." She had breathed, the woman with the eyes of a wolf, her eyes a dark shade of purple, her lips pulled back into a dark grin. She pulled the kunai back and was swinging it down when I would wake, drenched in sweat and a scream lodged at the back of my throat.

I was reminded of my nightmare as I jolted awake, my heart racing in my chest, and a heavy, thick sweat on my brow. I blinked, reaching up to rub my eyes and heard the soft crackling of a fire, from somewhere beside me. I looked over at it, scanning the length of the orange/yellow glow it cast over my surroundings.

"Good." A voice said from my left. I swung to face it, gasping for air now, my eyes wide, as I sat up and instantly became dizzy.

Temari was standing a few inches away from me, her eyes reflecting the fire, her body relaxed as she watched me try and pull myself together with no avail.

"You're awake." Kankuro's voice said from my right, sounding just as bored as he always did.

I placed a hand on my head and groaned, my vision a little blurry around the edges as I looked around and found the boys lying on the opposite side of the fire, their eyes closed, the aura from their mark seeping out. They were drenched in sweat and Kyoske was shaking slightly.

"How-how long were we out?" I managed, my head pounding.

"A whole day." Temari said.

"And you were lucky we found you instead of enemy ninja." Kankuro said.

"But you should really be lucky that Gaara went and looked for you because at first we really only saw the boys." Temari added.

I could see him then, Gaara, sitting in one of the tree branches above her head. His eyes were trained to the night sky, his expression calm. I owed him one and was thankful suddenly that he wasn't like Kankuro or Temari who wouldn't let me live it down.

"What happened to you guys anyway?" Kankuro asked.

I placed a hand at the back of my neck, feeling a distant sting when my fingers brushed over the mark. I wasn't ready to spill the details about the cursed mark to the Sand shinobi. What I needed to do was see Sasuke, see for myself how he was doing or if…or if…

I shook the thought from my head, making my headache slightly worse. But, I knew I needed to give them something or they wouldn't let me leave.

"We got into a fight…it was a little too much to handle." I said.

"A fight?" Temari huffed before nodding to the boys. "Why am I finding that hard to believe?"

"I didn't ask you to believe it." I groaned, as I forced myself up.

"You shouldn't move too much." Gaara called from above.

"Exactly." Temari said, rising to her feet and holding out her hands, as if she was ready to steady me if I fell over. I moved away from her reach and held up my hands.

"Just watch them for another hour." I said.

"Wh-what do we look like?! Babysitters?" Kankuro grumbled.

"Why?" Gaara asked, silencing Kankuro's fussing.

"I have something I need to check on and then we'll be out of your hair." I said.

I jumped off after that, building chakra in my feet to move even faster through the trees knowing that they wouldn't follow me but they would probably hope and pray that Kyoske or Hideki would wake so they could bombard them with questions. I had never been good with explaining and I prayed that Hideki would wake first and offer up an excuse. He was always better at convincing others, at pulling people together and speaking to them and getting them to believe that he was in the right.

The sad truth was our worst fears had been right. Orochimaru had revealed himself in Konoha and though it was unsure if he planned on attacking the village, one thing was for sure, he was planning on taking Sasuke with him. If he survived the bite, that is. I pushed myself even faster, moving higher so that I could jump from branch to branch. I could sense chakra all around, hear the distant sounds of fights continuing and just beginning along with a sharp cry for help every now and then. I wasn't going to get anywhere with my basic senses and knew I would have to use the power of my Kekkei Genkai if I wanted to find him.

I closed my eyes and built the image of Neji's Byakugan in my head. When I opened my eyes, I could feel it coming over, the veins rising around the sides of my eyes. I could see, for miles and miles and it took me a minute to not let the sights overwhelm me. I knew what I was looking for and a few moments later I could see them all, Sakura, Naruto and others gathered around a fire. But I couldn't see Sas—

A kunai shot through the trees and I gasped, not having enough time to do anything else but slip out from the tree and come tumbling through the branches. I cried out as I broke through the last layer and was about to seriously injure myself when something darted forward and caught me in its arms.

Panic burst in my chest and I was ready to fight until I looked at the person, focused to bring my vision back. It slipped back into place, the veins disappearing, the Byakugan falling back. I blinked up at Sasuke, my stomach in knots. At first I was shocked, convinced I was seeing a ghost, but then my hand lifted and came down gently on the side of his face. He arched an eyebrow, a light flush lighting his cheeks as he stared at me, dumfounded.

"You're alright." I breathed, tears lighting my eyes as my arms wrapped around his neck. I hugged him, my head resting on his shoulder, as I held him close and breathed in the scent of him.

"Wha-what are you—" He grumbled beneath me, his hands releasing me as he stumbled back to try and support us both.

"You're alright!" I sniffed, my tears falling.

His hands reached back, catching my wrists, before he pulled them away, pushing me back lightly. He looked down at me, studying the tears falling from my eyes. I took a good look at him too, well, what I could from between my tears. He was filthy, his clothes a little torn, his face spotted with some dirt. His forehead protector was missing and his hair was a little messy too. He also looked tired. But, he was alive and that meant that he had survived.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked, his voice firm.

I wiggled my hands away from his grip and he let me slip away. He watched me with careful eyes while I composed myself. I took a breath before shooting him a hard look.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours." I said.

He knitted his brows together. "What are you talking about?"

I wondered then if he remembered but I could see it, the flare of caution in his eyes. He knew what I was talking about, but he was unsure if it was a trick. I reached up and his eyes cut over to my hand, watching my fingers pull back my hair, exposing the side of my neck.

"What are you—"

I turned my head around so that he could catch sight of my mark, the Cursed Seal of Heaven, Orochimaru's strongest curse mark. He was stunned into silence, his eyes wide.

"I was five and a half when I got mine." I said and was about to cover it again when I felt his fingertips brush over my skin, brush over the mark. I blushed, heat rising to my face and glanced up at him. He seemed entranced by the mark, his eyes moving over it slowly before they landed on my face. He moved his hand away as I let my hair fall.

We stared at each other before he lifted a hand and pulled back the collar of his shirt and there it was right next to two fresh bite marks. The three tomoe in a circle. I looked away and he let go of his collar, his eyes drifting away from me toward the ground. I was opening my mouth to get his attention when alarm shot through his eyes and before I could ask what was wrong, he clamped a hand down over my mouth and pushed me behind a tree. There were distant voices, shinobi just passing through, non-combatants no doubt who could smell the fire but knew that there were too many shinobi to try and pick a fight with all at once.

"We can't talk here." He whispered, his hand dropping from my mouth to one of my hands. I let him pull me away and lead me through the forest until we reached a beautiful lakeside. We jumped up into one of the tallest trees, seeking refuge on one of its sturdy branches.

We stared at each other at first, neither of us making a point to speak. He was fixing me with a curious look, his eyes wary as they held mine and then closed in on my neck. I could see the questions burning behind his dark eyes though, I knew it would be uncharacteristic of him to fire them all out at once.

"I was young when it happened." I said. "Young and stupid if we want to be specific."

Sasuke looked down at his hands. "This Rain kunoichi appeared and she…she…"

"She was actually _him_ …in disguise." I said. "He does that a lot."

"I thought I was going to die."

My eyes widened at the look in his eyes. He seemed traumatized I couldn't blame him. I had felt the same way that day and had managed to remember bits of it as Megumi-sensei pulled me from the rubble. I remembered the icy-hot fear that had washed over me when I had looked into his eyes and saw my death play over and over again. He had held nothing back and though I didn't remember much of the vision he had cast into my head, I remembered it had been brutal. I reached for Sasuke's hand, wrapping my fingers around his palm and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He didn't seem to register my touch and instead his eyes drifted down toward the lake, a haunted look still shining in his them.

I didn't know what else to say and yet I wanted to make him feel better somehow. He looked so small suddenly, like some scared little boy. I could even swear that he was trembling slightly. It was a different side to him and I imagined a young Sasuke staring down at the bloody bodies of his parents, the same shock and fear in his eyes. Seeing him that way and imagining him having the same expression forced me to think of Orochimaru's cruel laugh and I pressed my lips into a tight line as it echoed in my head along with his words.

 _Sasuke will come looking for me, seeking the power he so desires._

My grip on his hand tightened at the thought of the words, at the certainty that had burned in his voice. I had vowed that I would never let that happen, that if Orochimaru did come around, Sasuke would not go with him. I refused to let him make the same mistake I had made and let his words, his kindness, cloud my judgement. I didn't want Orochimaru to have the same power he had had over me over Sasuke. I thought back to all our time together, how I had tried to get him to realize that he wasn't alone. I thought about all that he did have, Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi. I even thought about the other Rookies who, even if he did find them annoying, were still there as well. He had so much and I was afraid that even though I could see it, clear as day, he couldn't.

I let go of his hand and reached up for his face, my hand smoothing along the side of it. He jumped slightly at my touch and as his eyes turned to mine, I leaned forward, pressing my lips against his. It felt tense at first, his body going stiff the moment I leaned in. His hand shot up and I could feel it hovering over mine as if he were going to pull it away, or slap me, or push me back. But once my lips brushed over his, after a moment, he seemed to relax.

I pulled away a moment later, a moment after he fully relaxed, his hand smoothing over mine. My heart was in my throat instantly, a hot flush running across my cheeks. I was holding my breath and realized as I allowed myself a quick one that I hadn't taken one since I had moved toward him. I could barely bring myself to look at him and could imagine his look, his reaction. I had moved without thinking and if he wasn't ready to throw me out of the tree, he was waiting to shoot me a dark look before he did.

Then, I felt his hand slide up along the side of my face, before he turned my head up to meet his eyes, my face ablaze as our eyes met. I was speechless, unable to form words, unable to hold his gaze for very long or even register his expression. He seemed the same, except his eyes didn't seem as dark, just firm as they held me in them. He was looking down at me as if he were studying me, as if I was some sort of anomaly and before I could manage a sound, his lips curved at the end and suddenly he was smirking down at me, mischief in his eyes.

"What was that for?" He asked, his tone even, light with humor.

My face grew even hotter if it was possible, and if it was hard to hold his gaze before, it was even harder now and I felt myself trying to pull away from his hand. But, he didn't let me go. He held my face in place, his smirk deepening slightly. I was nervous suddenly and I felt like an idiot. Of all the things I could think of, instead of just hugging the kid, I had kissed him. I had _kissed_ Sasuke Uchiha and now it felt like he was teasing me, as if he could read my mind and knew I was embarrassed by it.

He arched an eyebrow when I didn't give a response and just the overall look on his face was enough to make the heat rise to my chest as well. I could only imagine how I looked to him, like some blotchy, red tomato. I pulled away then, breaking from his hold and turned my body to face the water, hiding my face with my hair. He had seen enough of it, enough to last him a lifetime probably while I was sure my embarrassment would last even after death.

 _Don't get too close_ , Hideki had warned and there I had gone, pressing my lips firmly against his, as if I was so sure. As if I had planned it. _As if I had wanted it_. The last thought struck something within me, made my insides tingle and my eyes widened in response to it. I had wanted it. I had _wanted_ it. It felt so right thinking it, so right that I could feel it, sharp in my gut, in my chest where the butterflies were starting to flutter around. I had wanted to kiss him and suddenly I wasn't sure how long I had wanted such a thing. It felt like it was the missing piece to a puzzle I had been struggling to solve. But, I couldn't remember starting the puzzle, or even wanting to finish it.

"Hey—"

I saw him reaching for me from the corner of my eye and moved away, choosing at the last second, before he could touch me, to jump down to the grass below. He was beside me just a second after and as I turned to go, to run, he caught my arm and swung me around to face him. I felt like a child, small as I stared up at him. I didn't meet his eyes, but I felt my face get even brighter.

"What's—"

I squeezed my eyes shut, my hands balling into tight fists. It was harder to breathe suddenly, harder to think. I just wanted to get away from him, try to cool off my heated cheeks. I was so desperate to escape that I said the first thing that came to mind.

"I'm sorry." I cut him off and pulled away from his touch before turning and running off.


	21. Chapter 21: Prelim Round! Only the Best!

**Chapter 21: Preliminary Round! Only the Best Survive!**

It felt even worse standing in front of her, the weight of our failure heavy on our shoulders. We had let Orochimaru slip away and he had marked Sasuke at the exact same time. The seals over our own curse marks were gone and we were still weak from our fight. Hideki had been awake when I had returned to them and the Sand Genin had long gone. Kyoske had still been out, still suffering through a high fever and Hideki had been tending to him, struggling to keep it even when I had returned and helped soothe the pain.

Now, we stood before Megumi-sensei in the tower at the center of the Forest of Death and it felt like there wasn't enough words in the universe to explain it all. We had run out of excuses and our appearance spoke for itself. I was out of it, still suffering from the effects of the mark and haunted by Orochimaru's words but also unable to shake the feeling of Sasuke's lips on mine. It was all I could think about, our kiss and how perfectly it slid into place, how excited my heart became by just thinking about it. I had liked the kiss, wanted it, and the more I tried to think about when I had wanted such a thing, the more I was bombarded with images of him. The muscles in his arms flexing as he had hovered over the stove making us tea, the tension in his jaw, the curve of his lips as he pressed them into a tight line. Sweat beads dripping down his brow from the humidity in the air, the taste of salt on his lips…

I was flushing all over again when Megumi-sensei's eyes darted to my face and I felt stuck instantly. It was like a spotlight had gone on over my head and suddenly all eyes were on me, waiting for me to find my voice. I struggled to swallow and wasn't surprised when it proved difficult thanks to the lump that had formed in my throat.

"He's back." I managed, two words that sounded strained and distant from each other, but forced out nonetheless. Megumi-sensei blinked at my words, her firm expression not changing as she took us all in.

"I know." She said a moment after. "Anko Mitarashi made sure to bring that up before the Hokage and all of us Jonin. My favorite part was her entrance, when she burst through the doors with wide eyes and a pale face."

"Sensei we—" Hideki began.

"I also liked it when she insisted they end the exams and focus on him. The resentment in her eye was a nice touch as well." She continued, cutting Hideki off. Hideki clamped his mouth shut and just watched our sensei as we all did, our eyes careful, our hearts in our throats. If she was mad, she was doing a great job at hiding it. She seemed calm almost and even though her expression was firm, that was nothing new. She always wore a serious look on her face.

She took a breath, squeezing her eyes shut as she took a step back, her body relaxing. I wanted to take a breath as well but I knew our lecture was just getting started. I could see the frustration eating away at her brow, the vein in her forehead pulsing and when she opened her eyes to us, there it was, blatant rage shining in her eyes.

"Sasuke Uchiha…" She said, her voice trailing off on purpose and Hideki glanced at me as my palms began to sweat.

"We were attacked by a group of Sound brats!" Kyoske snapped then, his hands in tight fists at his sides. "We were fighting and beating them up when he showed up! He took away our seals, he attacked us! He tormented us!"

"Uchiha…" Megumi-sensei said again, her voice measured but it only fueled more rage through Kyoske's body.

"We were right back where we started! We were focused on taking him out that's what you wanted! That's what Akane wanted!"

"Kyoske." She said, her voice low.

He slammed his foot on the ground in response, his eyes dark. He was seething, his green eyes watering from the frustration.

"It doesn't hide the fact that you three failed…again." Megumi-sensei said before folding her arms over her chest. "Which you've been doing a lot of lately."

Kyoske seemed to freeze, his eyes going wide as he stared at our sensei, as her words rang true throughout our bodies.

"Ever since we got to this village you three haven't done much, at least not the way you used to. The team I knew would have gotten me results within the first week. They wouldn't have entered the forest blind. They would've done their research, kept their senses on high alert and they most certainly wouldn't have faced me now with those terrible excuses on their tongues." Megumi-sensei said.

"Yeah? Well what have you done ever since we got here?" Kyoske fired back and I could tell the moment the words left his mouth, he regretted it. But, they were just the words needed to throw Megumi-sensei off. She blinked at us, her eyes wide, shock filling her features. I was just as shocked and stared between the both of them while Hideki placed a hand on Kyoske's shoulder.

"He didn't mean that, Sensei." Hideki said, sounding like the only sane one between the three of us. I instantly regretted letting Kyoske get all worked up. It was always better when Hideki spoke for us, not the other way around. Kyoske's head lowered, his bangs covering his eyes, his lips trembling.

"I've been trying to clean up the messes you three have caused!" Megumi-sensei snapped. "I've been throwing my neck on the line diverting attention away from you, protecting you like I always do! Like I always have!"

"And we're grate—" Hideki said but stopped when Megumi-sensei stepped forward and grabbed a fistful of Kyoske's shirt. She pulled him up, but he never raised his head to face her. He was too ashamed.

"He's here." Megumi-sensei growled in Kyoske's face. "So what are you three going to do about it?"

"Sensei, please." I begged and lifted a hand just as she released Kyoske sharply and he stumbled back, his head still low.

"It's time for you three to grow up and face your demon." Megumi-sensei growled. "He came and he ruined everything. The Leaf knows and soon every other nation will. He gave Sasuke the mark and he survived it which makes him a target now." We were silent as she finished, her rage so powerful it went beyond her almost. It towered over her, a deep, fiery, and blistering fury that made my knees wobble.

"So tell me, what are _you_ going to do about it?" It had been said to Kyoske but it was meant for all of us. The only problem was, I wasn't sure what to say. I was confused, scared, my mind still half stuck on Sasuke and the other on the real threat at hand, Orochimaru. Hideki was silent at first, his hands trembling at his sides and just when I was about to attempt an answer, he spoke.

"We're going to fix it." Hideki said, his voice low with an edge of darkness in it. "We're going to fix everything."

Megumi-sensei was silent for a moment, until her body began to relax. The anger on her face drifted away and though there was still the ghost of her rage, the height of her emotions was easing down.

"At this point everything feels like it's beyond fixing." Megumi-sensei growled before she took a step back and composed herself completely. Her shoulders eased back, her hands folding behind her. She looked down at us with an air of authority. "You three make 27."

"27?" I asked, my voice still low, unsure.

Megumi-sensei looked at me. "27 teams made it out of the Forest of Death."

"That's crazy." Hideki said. "That number shouldn't be that high."

If it affected our sensei, she didn't show it. She was back to looking at ease, bored almost.

"There will have to be a preliminary round." Megumi-sensei said. "Two sound teams made it as well."

"Great." Kyoske grumbled.

"We go as far as they do." Hideki reminded us.

"What if we have to go up against them?" I asked.

"If worse comes to worse we can always drop out at the finals." Megumi-sensei said. "You three do what you see fit."

…

We all watched as the smooth surface of the wall panel jutted out slightly before sliding to the side, revealing a big screen behind it. Hayate, the third exam proctor, coughed as he turned to face the screen. I was still staring back at the door Kabuto had walked out of, my hands in trembling fists at my sides. He had quit, just like that and it burned me inside, just like the mere sight of him did.

"In just a moment, the screen will reveal the first match chosen completely at random." Hayate managed before another wheezy cough made its way out of his chest.

"Tch…if he even makes it that long." Kyoske grumbled as I turned my head away from the door. He was still in a sour mood, his lips pulled down into a firm frown, his eyes narrowed as he stared at all the Jonin before us. The Third Hokage stood with his arms behind his back, his gaze powerful as he seemed to study all of our faces. I had noted Megumi-sensei standing beside Baki and I also noticed how tense the Leaf Jonin appeared standing on the opposite side of them as well as the glances Kakashi kept stealing at her. Ibiki and Anko were whispering urgently to the Hokage and judging to where their eyes kept darting toward, they were talking about Sasuke and his team.

I glanced over at them, a few bodies away and spotted Sasuke with a hand over the mark on his neck, a thin sheen of sweat on his brow as Sakura stared at him tentatively. She seemed worried and Naruto was glancing back at them, confused and bewildered.

"They're probably thinking about taking him out of the exams." Hideki whispered.

I glanced back at him, my nails digging into my palms. "That would be giving him just what he wants."

Hideki shrugged. "It's up to the Hokage now. Let's hope that he knows that."

I looked back up at the Third Hokage and saw Anko's cheeks were flushed, her brow pressing together with frustration. I caught the amused smirk on Megumi-sensei's lips and knew that they wouldn't take Sasuke out, but they would probably wait. But wait for what? Orochimaru wasn't stupid enough to appear in the middle of the preliminaries, and using Sasuke as bait wouldn't help the whole friendship and power speech the Hokage had pitched to us in the beginning.

Above, the screen lit up and everyone seemed to suck in a breath as they turned toward the screen. I spotted the Sand Genin standing at the far end of our line and looked over Gaara who of course had not one scratch on him nor one speck of dirt either. The rest of us looked like more worn, some sporting bruises, others a few tattered pieces of clothing. There was no resting for us either, as tired as we all might have been. The preliminary round had been met with shouts of disagreements and nobody took the idea of the us putting on a show for all the important leaders of the other villages, nicely. Either way, only one had raised their hand and he was gone, leaving the rest of us to bite down on our comments, refusing to back down especially now. There were 26 of us left and everyone was ready to win, ready to get to the real fight, ready to fight those of us who were truly the best.

The computer began to generate the first match, the two names moving furiously across the screen. I wondered who everyone would go against and wondered what I would do if I went up against Gaara or Neji or even Sasuke. The first fight set the bar for the rest of the matches and it was always good to come in strong. I looked away, knowing then that no matter what I wouldn't lose. The computer stilled just as my resolve hardened and Hideki chuckled behind me. Slowly, I look up at the screen and felt my eyes widen slightly.

 **Miyuki Obanji**

 **Vs.**

 **Haru Katzanagi**

"Alright the first match will be between Miyuki Obanji of the Water Village and Haru Katzanagi of the Sound Village! Will the two challengers step forward?" Hayate called before coughing into his sleeve.

"Lucky." Kyoske muttered.

Haru stepped forward first and my neck craned to try and catch a peek of my opponent as they made their way to the front. I followed shortly after, moving through the crowd until I made it to the front at the same time and as we walked toward Hayate, I looked my opponent over.

It was a boy, a few years older than me with jet black hair, a snarky smirk, and dark, wide eyes. His Sound headband was tied over his forehead and it shined despite the dim lighting. He was still smirking when we turned to face each other, and his expression was almost condescending as it looked down at me.

"Now that the first match is about to begin, everyone else please make your way up to the second level." Hayate advised before coughing into his hand.

There was slight hesitation but soon everyone started turning to the two staircases. Kyoske and Hideki headed up the stairs on the right with the other Leaf shinobi while the rest of the Sound ninja and the Sand Genin headed up the stairs on the left. The respective team Jonin headed up after them as the Hokage and his small entourage headed to even higher ground.

"Alright! Go get em' Miyuki!" Naruto cheered from above.

"Start it off right!" Kyoske shouted right after.

"Any objections before we begin?" Hayate asked, his eyes moving between us.

"You sure about this, little girl?" Haru asked, his voice deeper than I had expected.

"We'll see who fights like one by the end of this." I said, forcing a smirk onto my lips. "You're not worth be objecting."

Haru laughed a little too loudly as Hayate nodded before jumping back and raising a hand.

"Begin!" Hayate said before slicing his hand through the air. Not even a second after, Haru was running toward me, pulling shuriken from his sleeve, holding them between his knuckles. _He's fast_ , I realized as he swung toward me, delivering punch after punch, each hit whizzing just past my head. I dodged him just as quickly as I tried to make out a pattern in his movements.

He swiped one of his shuriken knuckles down toward my face and just as I was about to block it, he inhaled deeply. On his exhale, I felt a small slip of wind brush against my cheeks right before my ears popped and something hard slammed against the side of my face. I grunted as I went flying back, my body landing hard a few feet away as Haru chuckled darkly.

"Miyuki!" Naruto shouted, making me flinch.

I lifted a hand and touched my cheek. The hit had felt like a punch to the face, nothing more, but I hadn't seen it at all. I was sure he hadn't punched me himself, which meant he had built chakra into his lungs and sent a ball of energy toward me upon exhale. I ground my teeth together and pushed myself back to my feet.

It had been a cheap shot, a foolish mistake on my part, and the smirk on Haru's face didn't help either. I reached up to readjust my hair in its hair tie which made his smirk deepen into a dark smile.

"Lucky shot." I called out to him. "Don't get excited because it won't happen again."

Haru snorted before coming at me again. I braced myself, positioning myself in such a way, I was ready to defend and attack. Except, he jumped into the air at the last second and opened his mouth just as he let out a loud siren-like shriek. My eyes widened and everyone above groaned, hands shooting up to cover their ears but nothing compared to what I felt.

It sounded like nails scratching against a chalkboard, the sound right next to my ear drum and covering my ears didn't make it better, if anything, it made it much worse. I groaned, stumbling back as Haru landed a few inches in front of me before he kicked me square in the stomach. I went flying back once more, lying in a shivering pile on the ground.

I coughed and when I looked I spotted some blood on the ground beside me. That familiar iron taste pooled in my mouth and I groaned as a new pain, this one from the back of my head began. Someone was pulling my head back, yanking me to my feet, pulling me up by the roots of my hair.

"Big talk from someone who's getting her kicked across this floor." Haru growled before he leaned down close to my ear. "What kind of show are you giving him, Buki?"

My eyes widened, my heart instantly moving to my throat. The sinister chuckle that followed his words filled me with an icy terror. I hadn't heard that name in a long time and though I could count on one hand the number of times I remembered being called it, I knew it went deeper than that. Only one person had called me that word, their voice dripping with affection. They had treated it like some sort of pet name but what followed were memories of all the bloodshed and echoes of screams. I struggled under his firm hold, but he didn't let me go, instead, his grip grew even tighter.

That was when I felt it, the distant ache trembling from my unsealed mark. I flinched, gritting my teeth together as Haru continued to chuckle down at me.

"So weak it's a disappointment." Haru smirked. "Exactly how did someone like you make it out of the forest?"

"Don't take that, Miyuki!" Kyoske growled.

I didn't turn my head to face them, I was too busy glowering up at Haru and secretly hating myself for being so foolish, for forgetting the promise I had made to myself. I wasn't going to lose, I couldn't lose and now, now I refused to lose to someone like him.

"Stop fooling around!" Megumi-sensei called. "We don't have all day!"

I could imagine the looks shot in her direction at her agitated tone. Everyone wondering exactly what she was talking about because clearly our sensei had to be stupid because Haru had me right where he wanted me. But, then again, looks could always be deceiving. Either way, I took my sensei's words to heart. It was time to stop playing around, it was time to push through the pain and show this guy, this Haru, who I was, what I had been through and that I had gotten that nickname with good reason.

I moved quickly, jumping to my feet before reaching back, catching his wrist and pulling him forward. He lost his grip on my hair in the process and just as the shock registered on his face, and the pulsing ache in my neck began, I kicked him across the face. Haru's body went flying back, landing and rolling even further. But, he was quick to recover and jumped to his feet to fire off a stream of shuriken and kunai.

I dodged it with the help of a few clones and used the small cloud of dust his weapons barrage had made to jump up to the ceiling, building chakra in my feet to keep myself up. Below, Haru jumped into the smoke cloud, and I could hear him grunting as he swiped blindly inside the cloud and watched as everyone stood on high alert. Naruto was gripping the railing, Kyoske watched intently and Sasuke was standing beside Naruto one had gripping his neck, the other at his side in a tight fist.

"Wh-where is she?" Ino shouted. Everyone was bewildered, especially Haru who finally seemed a little uneasy, his head turning in every direction. I began making head signs as his head slowly turned to the ceiling.

"Water Style! Raging Waves!" I put as much chakra as I could into it and as the water stream slammed onto the ground, it knocked Haru clean off off his feet. I jumped down shortly after, landing just as he found his feet again and just in time to knee him right in the face. He stumbled back, blood spewing from his now broken nose. He groaned, his eyes wide as he stumbled back.

"Forfeit." I growled.

Haru scoffed and slowly pulled his hand away from his nose. He looked down at the blood sliding down his palm and chuckled. "Slightly impressive."

"Forfeit or I'll kill you." I growled, my voice rising even louder.

"I'll believe it when I see it, Buki."

My eyes narrowed and I ran toward him, drawing a kunai from the holder on my thigh. He snickered just as an ache shot across my eardrum, wrapping around my head. It made my steps falter and that was all the opening Haru needed to defend himself. He was opening his mouth again and I knew another one of his screeches were coming. I pushed myself forward, fighting through the pain until my hand came down hard on his throat. His eyes bulged as he choked, a wheezing sound escaping from his throat as he dropped to his knees.

"Forfeit." I repeated.

"Does it…hurt yet?" Haru wheezed.

I arched an eyebrow.

"Give him what he wants." He whispered. "Go on. Give into him."

"Shut up." I growled, pushing a warning into my voice.

"What's wrong, Buki? Afraid of what will happen if you give in? There's nothing holding you back now. They can't stop you. He told me to tell you that no one can."

I shivered at his words, Orochimaru's voice echoing them in my head. I could feel the mark burning even more and I could feel the blistering and relentless desire burning within me as well. It went beyond wanting to teach Haru a lesson or even wipe the smirk off of his face. I wanted more than that. I wanted him to pay for it while his life dangled on the line and at the last second, I wanted to end it.

Everything around me faded to the background as I looked down at Haru who was laughing at me now, his eyes dark and crazed. It fueled the rage within me, made my desire for his blood that much stronger. All that existed were me and him and the feeling of the darkness within me rising. I could feel the mark beginning to spread, feel it's fire-like grasp stretching over my skin.

I ran forward, building chakra in my feet as the blood seeking fury took over. I appeared behind Haru and ripped the hand he had over his throat away before pulling it up, his forearm pressing against his neck. He managed a gurgled response as I pulled my kunai over my head. I could hear it then, the screams ringing out around me, desperate cries for help that would never come.

My hand was swinging down and my kunai was just a hair away from plunging into Haru's right eye when a hand shot forward and caught my wrist. My entire body froze and I looked up at the person who was holding my wrist in place only to find Megumi-sensei staring down at me. Hayate was just beside her, his palms up worry knitting his brow together. I blinked between the two of them, the voices, desire, and anger fading from my body. I looked down at Haru who was still in my grasp, his body shivering his eyes wide with fear instead of his annoying confidence. He was breathing heavily, sweat trickling down his brow as he stared up at me, completely at my mercy.

"He forfeited." Megumi-sensei said, her voice low. "That doesn't mean you keep on fighting and try to kill him."

I opened my mouth to say something but no words came out. I simply couldn't remember Haru forfeiting. The last thing I could remember was his stupid smile as I ran toward him.

"Let him go." Megumi-sensei growled, her eyes narrowed.

I looked down at Haru and released him a moment later. He fell to the ground then, a shaking, wide-eyed mess. Megumi-sensei's hand snaked around the back of my neck and her touch pulled me further back into reality. I felt the stunned silence in the arena and looked up toward the balcony. Naruto seemed a little wary, Sakura was holding a hand over her mouth and the boys didn't seem impressed, though Kyoske seemed just a little tense. The Jonin above held me with mixed reactions and White Fang was regarding me with wide eyes.

"We have to get that sealed." Megumi-sensei growled in my ear. "Now."

"Umm…" Hayate coughed. "Though it was a close call, Miyuki Obanji has won the first match."

But it didn't feel like I had won. Everyone was still silent as Hayate's words echoed throughout the room. Megumi-sensei's hand slipped away from my neck after she nudged me forward slightly. I started walking, but a few steps in, the sharp ache that ran along my eardrum returned, making me gasp before stars gathered in my eyes.

"Miyuki!"

The voice that uttered my name sounded far away and I realized as I took a few more staggered steps forward that the shriek jutsu Haru had used had after effects, effects my body had managed to ward off until…until the curse mark's power had drifted away.

My knees gave out from under me and I fell forward, not feeling the ground when I landed.


	22. Chapter 22: Fight Continues! Kakashi vs

**Chapter 22: The Fight Continues! Kakashi vs Orochimaru**

"Good." Megumi-sensei said the minute I roused to consciousness. My brow furrowed and I opened my eyes, the whole process painful.

I was lying on a cot in the infirmary and my body felt sore. I looked around the room and discovered that I was the only patient in it. Megumi-sensei had pulled a chair up to my bedside. She stared down at me, nothing but business, before managing a nod.

"What happened?" I asked, sliding a hand to feel the back of my head.

"You passed out." Megumi-sensei said with a shrug. "Feel any better?"

My hand slid back to feel my neck, to feel over the mark. I couldn't feel it anymore and I looked at Megumi-sensei who smiled down at me.

"It took a lot, but I managed to seal it again." Megumi-sensei said.

I nodded, silence passing between us when I remembered my fight with Haru and the desire to end him altogether. Buki, or weapon. That's what I had been, a weapon to Orochimaru.

"Sensei…about the fight…"

She lifted a hand and I stopped talking. I met her gaze just as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Uchiha fought right after you." Megumi-sensei said.

My heart stilled in my chest. "H-how did he do? Is he okay?"

"He won." Megumi-sensei answered.

I nodded.

"He should be recovering just like you in the boy's wing."

I fought the part of me that wanted desperately to run to the wing right then and there. I could feel sensei watching me and I feared it. What would she say if she found out I had kissed Uchiha? What would I do if she blurted it out in front of the boys? She'd be disappointed of course, probably pin me to the wall saying that was why I had nothing on him, why I had failed so many times.

"The mark tried to surface, but he pushed it back just in time, before Hayate could call it." Megumi-sensei said.

My eyes widened. "He pushed it back?" I had never heard of anyone being able to resist the mark, especially when they had first received it. It had taken me years to finally have it under some sort of control, to push away the dark desire, to push away the power. It was hard to resist as well but there was Sasuke Uchiha rising above it all. I felt a small pang of jealousy but my desire to see him was stronger.

Megumi-sensei nodded. "Kid has great inner strength I guess."

I opened my mouth but hesitated and clamped it shut, turning away, shielding my face with my hair. "Can we…can we see him?"

It was met with silence and I could only imagine what her expression held then and knew whenever I gained the courage to face her, she'd be waiting with a curious look on her face.

"I don't see why not—" Megumi-sensei froze, her eyes going wide. She jumped out of her seat, her body tense and just as I was about to ask her what was wrong, I felt it too, a wave of intense, dark chakra flood into the room. It was powerful and familiar and I knew instantly that not only was he in the building, he was close.

Megumi-sensei started for the door and I was right behind her, pushing off my covers and jumping out of the bed. My muscles protested, but I pushed forward. Resting could wait. What mattered was this energy. Megumi-sensei and I raced out into the hallway and followed the now fading path down the many twists and turns of the hallways until we came upon an even darker one. Once we reached the end of it, I spotted Sasuke lying on the ground and before I could even survey the scene, I shot toward him.

"Sasuke!" I breathed, lifting his head off the ground and onto my lap instead.

"My Miyuki…" Orochimaru's voice snaked through me, making me shiver and slowly I turned to face him and found Kakashi standing a few feet away from Orochimaru who was standing casually near one of the pillars, a dark smile on his lips.

"You…" Megumi-sensei growled at him.

Orochimaru looked at her and his smile deepened. "Megumi."

"You have a lot of nerve appearing here after everything you've done." Megumi-sensei growled.

"Megumi, stay out of this." Kakashi said, his voice low.

I couldn't get a good look at his face, but there was an edge of nervousness in his voice. There was also still the presence of Orochimaru's chakra, so powerful and so thick, it filled the room, making it harder0 to breathe.

"I was just catching up with Kakashi." Orochimaru chuckled.

"You telling me you're here to visit?" Megumi-sensei scoffed. "I doubt that."

"He's here for Sasuke." Kakashi growled.

"No!" I said, my emotions surging.

"I was just telling Kakashi about the Sound Village." Orochimaru said, his voice light as air, carefree. It was like he was talking to old friends and not shinobi ready to strike him down.

"What about the Sound Village?" Megumi-sensei growled.

Orochimaru's dark smile deepened, making my sensei's eyes narrow even more. "I created it."

My eyes widened at his confession. Akane's suspicions had been proven.

"But to play the game like you said, I need pieces on the board. Pawns to do my bidding." Orochimaru said, turning his attention back to Kakashi.

"And Sasuke's one of your pawns?" Kakashi growled, his hands in tight fists at his sides.

"Oh no…Sasuke is much more valuable than that…that's something my dear Miyuki can tell you." His eyes met my face and my eyes widened. The look in his eye scared me, reminded me of the moment I had decided to push it all behind me and go with him. I remembered the feeling of my hand sliding into his and felt sick to my stomach suddenly. I hated him, I realized. But after all the years of following him, of defending him, of looking up to him, I had wanted to impress him. I had been willing to do anything and everything in order to please him, even if it meant losing myself in the process.

"It's because of that, because of his value, others have to sacrifice." Orochimaru said. "But it's all in the name of the greater good."

"You're so full of it!" Megumi-sensei growled and ran toward Orochimaru.

"Megumi! No!" Kakashi yelled after her.

Megumi-sensei pulled out a kunai from the pouch on her thigh and raised it high above her head, ready to strike. Orochimaru snickered and out from the collar of his military vest popped three pythons who shot toward Megumi-sensei and before she could stop herself, the snakes wrapped around her body. They lifted her off the ground and threw her back against the wall.

"Sensei!" I shouted, as her body slumped to the ground.

"Megumi!" Kakashi called and he turned to face Orochimaru as the pythons slithered back into the collar of his vest and he fixed our group with an amused smirk.

"Teach your friend, Kakashi." Orochimaru said as he started toward us. "Teach her not to meddle in things that don't concern her."

He continued walking toward us, his footsteps echoing throughout the hall and at the last moment, when he was getting too close for comfort, Kakashi gasped, aimed his right arm to the ground, and shaped his hand like a claw. His left hand reached over and gripped his forearm and I liked to imagine that he was glaring at Orochimaru.

"Stay back!" Kakashi growled before a ball of blue electricity appeared in his palm. The high concentration of electricity in his palm sounded like hundreds of birds chirping. Orochimaru's brow twitched at the sight of the jutsu and Kakashi braced himself.

"I don't care if you're one of the legendary Sanin. Take one more step toward these kids and one of us will die today." Kakashi said.

Sasuke stirred on my lap and Orochimaru caught sight of it over Kakashi's shoulder. I hugged him closer to me. I wasn't going to let anything happen to him. Megumi-sensei had told us to face our demon and I was willing to do just that.

Orochimaru chuckled, his gaze returning to Kakashi and as his chuckle grew into a full blown cackle, I wondered what was so funny. Kakashi's threat had been full of promise and I firmly believed the two were going to battle to the death and even if Kakashi didn't win, the surprise that had been in Orochimaru's eyes proved that Kakashi was someone to look out for.

"Funny is it?" Kakashi growled.

"Poor Kakashi all your noble efforts all in vain. Do you really believe that the seal will hold? Do you believe that you can keep him from what he truly desires? His heart wants only one thing. He's an _avenger_ , remember?"

"And you think you can take advantage of that?" Kakashi growled.

Orochimaru chuckled, but this time when he looked up at us, something was different about the look in his eye. A moment later, I felt something strange wash over me and my body stiffened right before the violent images began. Kakashi's body strewn across the floor, surrounded by a pool of his own blood. Megumi-sensei's body pinned to the wall by sharp kunai, her blood dripping down the silver edges, before dripping to the bottom. Then there was my own death, the full force of his eyes high above my head as he brought back a sword before plunging it into my stomach. There was the sharp pain, my eyes watering as the pain spread and the feeling of my blood, warm against my icy skin spreading.

"No!" I screamed, my hands shooting up to cover my ears.

"He will come to me, Kakashi." Orochimaru said and I looked up, my body trembling, a cold sweat washing over me only to see him standing in front of a trembling Kakashi. He was breathing heavily and seemed to be struggling to find words.

"Unless of course, you carry out your threat to kill me." Orochimaru chuckled. "Now's your chance."

Kakashi shivered even more and I watched as the electricity in his hand fizzled out. He dropped to his knees, his trembling was so bad and Orochimaru chuckled before turning and walking back down the dark hallway.

"I didn't think so." He said as he disappeared into the darkness, leaving us behind.

Megumi-sensei pushed herself up to her knees just as Sasuke's eyes opened weakly. He looked up at me right before I closed my eyes, my body shaken and paralyzed, unable to shake the images of death, unable to stop feeling the phantom pain in my abdomen.

"Kakashi." Megumi-sensei cried out before racing to his side, taking him in her arms. "What happened? Are you alright?" She looked back at me as Sasuke sat up in front of me.

"He-he got away." Kakashi managed weakly.

I felt a hand come down on my shoulder and though it made me jump, it also made the images and pain stop. I looked up only to find Sasuke staring down at me, his hand on my shoulder.

"You alright?" He asked.

I managed a shaky breath before I nodded and that seemed to be all the confirmation he needed before his hand slid down my arm to my elbow before turning to face our panting sensei's.

"What did I miss?" he asked them.

…

"Feeling better?" I asked.

Sasuke and I hadn't spoken ever since we had made it to the infirmary. I had practically dragged him there because he was too weak to walk and we had been sitting in silence as soon as we had arrived. I had wanted to leave right away, but instead my body had dragged one of the chairs across the room and I had sat down right beside him, my hands on my lap, my eyes trained to his stark white bed sheets.

Sasuke reached up and smoothed his fingers over his newly sealed curse mark. His expression, as usual was unreadable. He pulled his hand away a moment later and looked down at his palm, his lips pressed into a firm line.

"Aren't you going to go back to watch the matches?" Sasuke asked.

"I'm not leaving until I'm sure you're alright." I said. "You still look a little pale."

He glanced at me quickly before shifting his eyes away again, his gaze trailing down to his white sheets. "I don't need you babysitting me."

"I'm not baby—"

"And I don't need you looking at me like I'm some kind of wounded animal." Sasuke said, his eyes narrowing as they turned toward my face.

"I'm not—"

"Yes, you are." Sasuke growled, his eyes dark.

I swallowed my protests and looked away, feeling hurt but knowing that he was right and that my concern went deeper than that. Orochimaru had admitted that he had created the Sound Village and something told me he was still around, still watching. He had also proven that he wasn't alone and that his pawns went beyond the Sound Village Genin. They were disposable pieces on the board and Sasuke was his king piece, the main prize at the end.

"I'm sorry…I'm just…I'm just worried." I said. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Yeah, well I didn't ask for you to worry about me." Sasuke said.

"I know…I just…I just can't help it…" I said, a hot blush shooting across my cheeks.

He looked at me again and I felt stupid for caring, stupid for thinking for half a second that he would be grateful. Our kiss flashed through my mind once more and I wondered if that had even meant anything to him. He had teased me after but he wasn't acting any differently. Had he even cared?

I had expected things to be different between us. I had been sure that our interactions would change, that he wouldn't push me away with his cold shoulder and hard words. But, we were back at it again, as if nothing had happened at all and even though I had secretly seen it coming, it didn't make it any better.

"I'm not scared of him." Sasuke said.

I looked at him, bewildered.

"I thought about it all after you left…about the mark…about our fight…and I realized after it all I'm not afraid of him." Sasuke said and reached up to touch the seal on his neck again. "Kakashi said this is as strong as I am. He said that it grows stronger as I grow stronger but I can't shake my resolve. He said I can't doubt myself."

I nodded. "It sounds like a powerful seal."

Sasuke looked at me, his dark eyes seeming to study my face before he looked down at my hands. "I'm an avenger. I want to avenge my clan and destroy a certain someone."

I thought back to Samui's revelation in the hot spring. Itachi Uchiha, the alleged leader of the Akatsuki and lone murderer of the Uchiha clan.

"But I think I might want other things too." Sasuke muttered.

"Like what?" I asked.

He looked up at me and I felt my body tense.

"Not sure." He said after a few moments.

I managed a small nod and just as my mouth was opening to respond, he cut me off.

"But I know that I'll do whatever it takes to achieve my true goal." Sasuke said, his expression hardening. "I'm not going to let anything stand in my way."

"Good for you." I said, forcing a smile before rising to my feet. He watched me, his eyes unreadable.

"I should head back." I continued, careful to not let my smile falter. "I'll give you some time to yourself."

I was turning toward the door when his hand shot up and pulled me down to his bed. I landed with a bounce and as I turned to him, ready to ask what his deal was, his hand snaked around the base of my neck and he pulled me toward him.

His lips pressed against mine, firm at first before becoming softer. My body was tense, my hands raised until I forced myself to relax. It felt nice, even softer and gentler than before and the more I calmed down, the more my insides twisted around as my heart slammed against my ribcage. I felt the butterflies burst in my stomach as my head began to spun.

My hands rested on his chest and one of them was snaking up to grasp at the collar of his shirt when the door began to creak open. He pulled away quickly, his hand sliding away from my neck and I turned my face, trying to cool my red face.

"I think it's time you let Uchiha rest, Miyuki." Megumi-sensei's voice called out to me, making me jump.

I was speechless, unable to formulate a response because my head was still reeling from our latest kiss. Had she seen something? Had she seen us break away? Was she looking between the two of us, wondering what my deal was? Was I being obvious?

"We were just talking about you two." Sasuke said.

 _Great_. Kakashi was in the room too.

"What about us?" Kakashi asked.

"Just that you two seem to know each other." Sasuke continued.

I glanced over at him and saw that he was perfectly composed, perfectly relaxed as if nothing had happened between us just moments ago. Meanwhile, I was still trying to steady my breathing and racing heart. I glanced back at our sensei's, the two of them standing side by side, Megumi-sensei wearing an annoyed look on her face and Kakashi a gentle smile.

"I know a lot of Jonin." Kakashi answered finally.

"I also don't remember our relationship being any of your businesses." Megumi-sensei said, her eyes narrowing.

I thought back to the fight with Orochimaru in the hallway, how Megumi-sensei ran toward him as Kakashi called out to her, begging her to stop. I remembered the anguish burning in his voice as her body slammed against the wall and the concern knitting Megumi-sensei's brow together as she ran toward Kakashi afterwards. Her hands resting on his trembling shoulders, her lips pulled down at the edges. She cared about him, it was painfully obvious then and I wondered if White Fang even knew that. I wondered if that was what it was, if the two Jonin had a past together, or the possibility of having one. Either way, Kakashi would have had to do something incredibly stupid and selfish for Megumi-sensei to treat him the way she had on the bridge and every time after that.

"Whatever." Sasuke grumbled, turning his head away, his eyes catching and locking on mine. The hot blush returned and I averted my eyes, coughing into my shoulder.

"Let's go." Megumi-sensei called out to me. I stiffened at her words and slowly, lifted myself from the bed, keeping my head low, one of my hands shooting up to cover my mouth.

If they found it suspicious, they didn't ask but I did catch the faint smirk on Sasuke's face which didn't help my blush. The room was still spinning and I tried to keep my walk steady. I moved past Megumi-sensei and Kakashi and when I passed them, Megumi-sensei turned to walk alongside me.

We shut the door behind us as we walked back toward the arena, silent at first until I looked up at my sensei, and saw the stormy resolve in her eyes.

"Priestess Akane was right." I managed. She didn't say anything, just kept walking with her eyes forward.

"He's also here for Sasuke." I continued. "But he keeps saying that Sasuke will go to him—"

"It's not only that." Megumi-sensei said, cutting me off.

"What else could it be?" I asked.

"He's after something else. If he wanted Sasuke, he could've just taken him, especially out there in that forest. He could've killed Sakura and Naruto and he could've just snatched that boy and left and no one would've known the difference."

"But he didn't." Megumi-sensei growled, her hands balling into tight fists. "Which means he wants something else and Sasuke is merely a part of it, a side project."

"What else could he want?" I asked, my brow furrowing.

Megumi-sensei glanced down at me. "He created an entire village practically overnight. A village no knows anything about. That's hundreds or maybe thousands of people who stand behind his cause."

"What are you saying?" I asked. Megumi-sensei stopped walking and I stopped a few steps away from her, turning back to face her fully, to study the sternness in her eyes.

"A water's surface is calm before a big storm and as the rain falls, ripples form, becoming more and more violent as they ring out. But, it all begins with that one raindrop breaking against the surface." Megumi-sensei folded her arms across her chest.

"I think he wants to ignite a war." She said a moment after.

My eyes widened.

"I think he wants to start a war with the Leaf and if he can't do it now, Sasuke is the piece that will."

"But-but that's just as assumption, right? It's not really real." I stammered, unable to wrap my head around it. A war? It had been years since the world was plunged into the darkness and devastation that war brought with it. Nations were still recovering today from the Third Great Ninja War. Plunging into another one would be complete chaos and starting a war with the Leaf, the biggest of the Great nations, was not only stupid, but hopeless. But, then again, one had to wonder if the Sound was even alone. Any of the other nations could be allies with the Sound which meant when the time came, they would reveal themselves and the chaos could be even worse. My stomach dived as I imagined our own nation siding with Orochimaru.

"With him you never know." Megumi-sensei said and I realized as the words settled on my skin that she was right.

When it came to Orochimaru, you never knew until it was happening and even then you didn't want to believe something like it could be happening.


	23. Chapter 23: The Legendary Sanin Jiraiya!

**Chapter 23: The Legendary Sanin Jiraiya Arrives!**

"Chidori!" Sasuke shouted, a ball of electricity in his palm as he ran toward the rock wall. His attack hit the hard rock and there was a sharp - _CRACK_!- that echoed around us before a massive fissure appeared along the wall and suddenly it was crumbling, dust floating up toward the sky.

I watched in aww from the side, my eyes wide. Sasuke had gotten strong over the past few weeks and had been training with Kakashi almost every day. I knew Kakashi had merely done it to keep a better eye on Sasuke but the new jutsu was just a good touch. The dust cleared and Sasuke stood hunched over by the rubble of the rock wall, his hand on the rock, his breathing labored and his training clothes filthy. He was exhausted, even a little pale and I knew he had reached his limit instantly. If he kept pushing himself the way he was, I'd have to drag him back to his apartment.

"Looks like you only have it in you for three bursts." Kakashi called to him. I glanced up at the White Fang, his arms crossed, her gaze strong. Sasuke slowly turned to face him, is eyes dark.

"I can keep going." Sasuke grumbled and pushed himself away from the rubble as he clenched and unclenched his now trembling hand.

"No." Kakashi said. "You've reached your limit and bad things could happen to you if we continue." Kakashi glanced down at me and I flushed, looking away quickly before rising to my feet. I didn't want to know what bad things other than passing out would happen to Sasuke and I didn't want to stand around and find out to see it happen either.

"You can practice later." I said as I walked toward Sasuke. He looked at me, his eyes turning a shade softer as I took his trembling hand in mine and offered him a small smile. "Why don't we go eat? It's getting pretty late and you haven't eaten anything since this morning."

He stared at me, looking half torn between biting my head off and maybe, possibly agreeing with me. Unless, of course, it was all in my head, the agreeing with me part. He shot a sour look at Kakashi who shot him one of his lazy, easy-going smirks and shrugs before looking down at our hands.

Ever since the kiss in the infirmary, something about him had changed when it came to me. He was still cold and unreadable and in a lot of ways still the same Sasuke, but he would listen to me a little bit more. Either way, I could see the protests building behind his mouth and judging by the sour look growing on his face, it was taking everything in him to not tell me off.

"Fine." He grumbled before pulling his hand away from mine and sliding it into his pocket. I managed a smile and was ready to start walking when I sensed chakra coming from behind us. Sasuke and I swung around and my stomach dropped as soon as I saw Gaara standing a few feet away from us, his eyes their usual shade of dark, his arms folded.

I had almost forgotten about the Sand shinobi and liked the fact that they were keeping to themselves since the preliminary round. All three of them had made the cut and while that didn't surprise me much, Kyoske had told me about Gaara's brutal fight with Lee. I had remembered the excitement in his eyes as he recalled Lee's swift kick to Gaara's face, the splash of blood sliding down Gaara's cheek and the shock in not only his face but in Temari and Kankuro's faces as well. I knew Lee was in critical condition and had even heard that he was at risk of continuing on as a shinobi. Gaara had done a number on him and judging from the hard look in his eye, he was setting his sights on Sasuke next.

"What do _you_ want?" Sasuke growled, not helping. He was tense too, his eyes just as dark, his lips pressed into a hard, firm line.

"Sasuke Uchiha…" Gaara breathed, making Sasuke's eyes narrow. "I came to fight you."

"Gaara." I said, unable to think of much else to say. Was he serious? I didn't doubt that he wasn't but it still blew my mind regardless.

"You're Gaara, right? Kakashi called and slowly we all looked back at him. "Gaara of the Sand?"

Gaara didn't say anything, he just glared at Kakashi who smiled softly at him, unaffected by the dark aura surrounding the boy.

"I know you're eager to fight Sasuke here, but why don't we save it for the Final round?" Kakashi said. "It's only fair."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed back at Kakashi before turning into a glare as he turned back toward Gaara who was just staring at Kakashi. I wondered if he was considering Kakashi's words or if he was considering killing him instead. Regardless, I stepped in front of Sasuke and Gaara's eyes shifted over to me.

"Don't be so pushy to start fighting." I said to him. "Kakashi's right. In a few weeks you'll be fighting each other. No need to rush things."

"Fine." Gaara said after a moment before turning to face Sasuke. "I will be looking forward to our fight."

Sasuke stepped in front of me and fixed a hard look on Gaara. "Same here."

I stared between the two of them, the tension so heavy, it made a light sweat light my brow. Gaara looked about ready to send his sand after Sasuke and Sasuke looked about ready to deliver a Chidori to his heart. With the way Sasuke was with the newfound strength he was getting each day, as strange as it felt to say, I could see him standing a chance against Gaara. Finally after what felt like an eternity, Gaara turned around and disappeared down the side of the rocky hillside Sasuke had chosen to train on. We watched him go, waiting for him to disappear into the trees at the bottom before we turned toward Kakashi who continued to stare off at the spot Gaara had been standing.

"I'm leaving, Kakashi." Sasuke said, gaining his attention. Kakashi merely nodded and watched as Sasuke headed down the opposite path and after shooting him a small bow, I followed quickly after. Together we walked to downtown Konoha in silence and while I couldn't help but wonder what was running through his head, an angry voice ahead caught my attention.

"C'mon Pervy Sage! Hurry up! Let's get back to training already!"

We stopped walking. It was Naruto's voice just around the corner and suddenly there he was in his orange jumpsuit, pulling at the sleeve of an older man with a waist-length, spiky white hair and a sleazy, deluded smirk on his face.

"I told you to stop calling me that kid!" The man grumbled, slightly irked as he glared down at an angry Naruto. " _Especially_ in front of the ladies."

"Stop being so perverted and I wouldn't have to!" Naruto growled which only irked the older man more, that is until he caught Sasuke and I staring. He turned to face us and slowly, so did Naruto, who brightened at the sight of me before glaring at Sasuke.

"Miyuki!" Naruto greeted before leaving the older man's side and running toward me.

"Hey Naruto." I smiled. I hadn't seen much of him over the past few weeks. But, I had heard how he had put up a decent fight during the preliminary round and had only won by sheer luck, or as Kyoske had put it, "bodily functions". He hadn't elaborated and I was too afraid to ask, so I had just accepted it with a firm nod.

"How are you doing?" I asked, focusing on Naruto instead of the white haired ninja who was regarding me with an unreadable expression.

Naruto smiled his usual toothy and wide grin, lifting a hand to scratch the back of his head sheepishly. "I've been training my butt off." He admitted.

"That's good." I smiled.

"Tch." Sasuke said, folding his arms across his chest, making Naruto's smile pull down into a frown.

"What?" Naruto growled at him.

"Nothing…loser." Sasuke said, sliding his hands into his pockets.

Naruto's glare hardened. "I'm gonna beat you Sasuke! Believe it!"

"Hmph." Sasuke said, turning away, his eyes closing, as an amused smirk spread across his lips.

"Grr! Sasuke!" Naruto growled.

"Who are your friends, Naruto?" The white haired man asked. I looked up and found him hovering just outside our small circle. Sasuke's eyes snapped open at the closeness of his voice and cut over to him.

Naruto looked back at the man before turning and smiling at us.

"This is Miyuki." Naruto said, motioning toward me. He glared at Sasuke and pointed a finger at him. "And he's not my friend! He's my rival! Sasuke."

Sasuke scoffed. "You're the last person I want as a friend."

A vein pulsed in Naruto's forehead and just as I was about to attempt to diffuse their fight, the old man cut me off.

"Miyuki what?" He asked, his voice firm, his eyes hard.

I flushed, Naruto and Sasuke looking away from each other back toward the man.

"Miyuki…Miyuki Obanji." I said, my voice cautious. The man arched an eyebrow and was about to say something when a new voice joined our circle from the side.

"Jiraiya."

It was Megumi-sensei with Kyoske and Hideki at her side.

The old man's eyes widened a small fraction in what could only be described as shock. They stared at each other for a moment before the old man, Jiraiya she had called him, composed himself.

"Well, well, well." Jiraiya smirked. "If it isn't the biggest heartache."

Megumi-sensei's lips trembled slightly, as if she was about to smile, but then she stopped herself.

"What are you doing here, old man?" Megumi-sensei asked.

Jiraiya smiled softly. "I'm just visiting."

Megumi-sensei seemed to weigh the words in her head and by the looks of it, she didn't buy it and something told me Jiraiya knew that.

"What about you?" Jiraiya asked.

"Chunin Exams."

"Oh…so you're a Jonin now?" Jiraiya said before giving my team a cursory glance, his eyes lingering on me a fraction longer than necessary. "These children are yours?"

"Problem?" Megumi-sensei asked, her voice clipped.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Interesting collection."

"Pervy Sage, you know each other?" Naruto asked.

Jiraiya looked about ready to hit Naruto over the head but was stopped when Megumi-sensei chuckled into her shoulder.

" _Pervy Sage_? That about sums it up, doesn't it?" She snickered.

Jiraiya looked at her, his own smile tense. "It's not even half of it."

He looked down at me again, something shining in his eyes. I couldn't place it but I noted the distance between us and couldn't help but feel like he was doing it on purpose. It was a safe distance, his feet planted on the ground in such a way, he was also ready to run for cover. It made me feel like I was some sort of ticking time bomb and I felt my shoulders slump at the mere thought.

"Something wrong?" Megumi-sensei asked, her voice closer, her hand coming down on my shoulder.

"Obanji…huh?" Jiraiya asked, lifting a hand to stroke his chin. His eyes moved over toward Kyoske and Hideki who didn't seem to really care much for the man.

"As much as I'd love to stay and chat with you, Jiraiya, we have to go and train." Megumi-sensei said, her voice dry.

Jiraiya placed a firm hand on Naruto's shoulder and pulled him back to him. Naruto stumbled and seemed a bit mystified as he stared between our two sensei's. There was tension now and it was so thick, it felt impossible to cut through.

"We'll have time later I'm sure." Jiraiya said, his eyes firm again, matching the seriousness in his voice.

I looked back at Sasuke who seemed agitated and as Megumi-sensei's hand slid off my shoulder, Jiraiya and Naruto watching her walk away, he leaned close to my ear, his breath making Goosebumps rise on my skin.

"Come by later." He whispered, his breath warm, so close, it made my head spin with thoughts of his lips brushing over mine. Excitement burst in my belly and as I turned to look at him, my cheeks instantly hot, Megumi-sensei called out to me.

"Miyuki, let's go." It was clipped and all business and I knew better than to keep staring at Sasuke. We needed to leave and we needed to leave now and even though it was the last thing I wanted, I turned away, struggling to hide my red cheeks as I walked over to my team.

"We'll talk soon, Megumi." Jiraiya said as we started walking away.

"Don't count on it." Megumi-sensei grumbled under her breath.

…

The boys were in their own world, stuck behind Hideki's makeshift desk, their eyes glued to the monitor. Megumi-sensei was sitting by the window and I was sitting off to the side of her, stealing glances in her direction every so often. We had practically ran back to the hotel and while the boys had jumped back into trying to tease out as much as they could about the Sound Genin, I couldn't shake Jiraiya from my mind.

Megumi-sensei sucked in a breath before rising to her feet and heading for the door. She slipped out, no one but me seeming to notice. I felt my hands ball into tight fists at my sides and before I could give it another thought, I was jumping to my feet, telling myself that I was tired of staying quiet and expecting the best from my sensei. It was clear she knew something about Jiraiya and I wasn't going to let her get away.

"Sensei." I called out to her as I stepped out into the hall, shutting the door behind me. She was halfway down the hall and her body stiffened at the sound of my voice before she turned herself around to face me.

"You should help the boys." She said, her voice even, on the edge of disinterest.

"I want you to tell me more about Jiraiya." I said, starting toward her.

She glanced back at me, her eyes unreadable.

"What about him?"

"Everything you know." I countered which made her lower lip tremble.

"He's a Sanin, one of the legendary shinobi."

My eyes widened just as my heart dropped. "Just like Orochimaru." I remembered Orochimaru going on about his teammate, his perversion and at the same time passions. He had never gone into great detail and while I wasn't sure how Orochimaru had felt about Jiraiya, there was always a slight edge of respect in his voice.

"Jiraiya is a very skilled shinobi, very powerful." Megumi-sensei said, giving me her back.

"Why is he here?" I asked.

She shrugged. "How should I know?"

"Orochimaru is here, in the village, and now that Sanin is here too." I said. "Are they working together?"

She scoffed. "No."

"Then why else would he be here?"

"It's probably the Leaf's idea of pooling together all of their resources." Megumi-sensei said. "It's none of our concern. We have bigger things to worry about."

"Then why was he looking at me the way he was?"

She looked back at me.

"Don't think I didn't notice it."

She hesitated, her eyes hard before she turned around to face me. We stared at each other and the more the silence stretched on between us, the more aggravated and on edge I felt. My hands were balled into tight fists at my sides.

"I think you're just being paranoid." She said finally, which didn't help the anger bubbling in my stomach. If anything, it made it surge up and I could taste something sour in my mouth.

" _Don't_ call me that." I growled.

"You're paranoid and you're thinking too much into something that means nothing." Megumi-sensei said, her voice calm with an edge. "Focus on the mission and get back inside and get me tangible results."

She didn't wait for me to speak again. Instead, she turned around and continued walking down the hall, disappearing around the corner. I watched her go, feeling a furious heat building in my cheeks. I was fuming, on the verge of screaming after her and fighting the urge to hit something. I knew going back to the boys would only involve questions that would only make me more upset. I didn't want to go for a walk either. I wanted answers. I was tired of being left in the dark and it struck me then that after all our time in Konoha I had never once questioned my sensei's commands. I had always defended her while the boys questioned, always insisted she had us in her best interest. But, I didn't know what her intentions were and what's more, I had no idea what she did all day, where she disappeared too. She claimed one thing but suddenly I wondered if that was even true.

I stared at the corner she had disappeared behind, my questions and suspicions swirling around in my head. There was only one way, I realized, that I would be granted an answer and as my anger settled in my chest, I was struck with a new sense of resolve. Suddenly, I knew exactly what to do.

…

I trailed behind Megumi-sensei as she walked through the crowded Konoha streets. I was taking the high route, jumping from building to building, hiding behind billboards when I thought she was glancing back at me. We had been walking for a while and from what I could tell, sensei didn't appear to be walking with much of a purpose. I wondered if she was angry with me and was just walking to walk. But, then I wondered if this was what she did all the time and found that that angered me just as much, the thought of her just walking around while we slaved ourselves.

The crowd was growing thicker and I began fearing that I would lose her. I jumped down into the crowd, still staying a good distance away when a voice called out to Megumi-sensei from the crowd.

She stopped walking and was turning just as I dove behind a nearby building. My heart was slamming in my chest and as I struggled to get a good, yet conspicuous look. Megumi-sensei was turning toward the voice and my eyes widened as I saw Jiraiya walking through the crowd, stopping a few steps away from her, an easy smile on his lips.

"Megumi." He greeted. "It's good to see you."

She blinked at him, seeming about as uninterested as someone could be in a conversation. But, if Jiraiya noticed, he didn't let it bother him.

"Jiraiya." Megumi-sensei managed in a tone that sounded just a tiny bit above respectful. Jiraiya's smile deepened and he managed a nod.

"It's been a long time." Jiraiya continued.

"I suppose." Megumi-sensei said, her eyes looking to the side, watching the midday crowd move beside them.

"Out for a walk?" Jiraiya asked.

"You gonna keep going with this terrible small talk of yours?" Megumi-sensei asked. "Or are we going to cut to the chase?"

Jiraiya seemed a bit miffed by her words, but composed himself. His easy, light as air smile, deepened even more until it looked as if he was grinning at her.

"Fair enough! I supposed I owe you at least that, don't I?"

"You don't owe me anything." Megumi-sensei said.

Jiraiya's grin lessened and he reached up to scratch the back of his head. It was a nervous gesture, but it wasn't at Megumi-sensei's coldness, it was over the topic at hand.

"I'll cut to the chase then." Jiraiya said, his voice firm, the friendliness in his eyes disappearing into a sea of sternness.

"Megumi?"

It was a new voice and I slinked further behind the building, a bead of sweat forming on my brow. Sensei stiffened at the sound of it and slowly looked toward the voice. Kakashi, Kurenai Yūhi, and Asuma Sarutobi were walking toward them. I knew of the other two Jonin and remembered that they were the team captains of the other rookie teams as well. Kakashi was nursing a concerned look, while Asuma seemed more interesting in trying to light the cigarette in his mouth. As for Kurenai, she was wearing a look of great contempt, her ruby red eyes dark as they glared at Megumi-sensei, who merely flipped her hair onto her shoulder, blocking the woman's hateful look.

"Jiraiya-sensei." Kakashi said, staring between the two shinobi curiously. "What are you doing here?"

Jiraiya merely smiled at the new faces in the group and before he answered, he motioned toward sensei.

"Megumi and I were just catching up." He said breezily.

"About what?" Kurenai growled. "Can't be anything good if it's with her." Kurenai said sourly.

Megumi-sensei scoffed which only made Kurenai angrier and before the woman could protest, Jiraiya cut her off.

"I was asking her about her team, those three Water Genin." Jiraiya said.

"What about them?" Asuma asked, successfully lighting his cigarette and taking a long drag.

"That's what I wanted Megumi to tell me." Jiraiya said, his eyes cautious as he looked my sensei over.

"There's nothing to say." She said, closing her eyes and folding her arms. "They're my students, nothing more."

"There's a lot more." Jiraiya said, his eyes narrowing. "And we can start with that Obanji girl."

"Miyuki?" Kakashi asked, more confused than before. "What about her?"

Megumi-sensei was silent for a moment and didn't look like she was going to continue, but when Jiraiya cleared his throat, her eyes snapped open to his face.

"If you won't tell them, I will." Jiraiya said. "Feel free to jump in whenever I miss something."

It was a spiteful comment and I could see that Megumi-sensei felt the same way judging by how quickly a flush lit across her cheeks. Jiraiya ignored it though and faced the other Jonin.

"The members in Megumi's squadron were all followers of Orochimaru when they were younger, but Miyuki was his most prized possession." Jiraiya began. "He kidnapped her from the orphanage where she was staying and began to train and travel with her until he also began experimenting on her."

"I'm not sure how he did it, but somewhere along the line Orochimaru discovered a dark power, a dark, ancient energy. He wanted to test it out, but more than that he wanted to control the energy because he was sure it would make him, in the long run, the strongest shinobi and would aid in his search for immortality." Jiraiya continued.

"That's enough." Megumi-sensei growled, earning a look from the Sanin.

"You can tell it better?" He countered, which made the flush return to my sensei's cheeks.

"What power did he discover?" Kurenai asked.

"It's from before the Great nations were created." Megumi-sensei explained. "Before the demon spirits were split."

"Demon spirits?" Kurenai asked, her anger replaced by confusion just as a lightbulb seemed to go off in Kakashi's head.

"The Tailed beasts?" He breathed, his eye wide as he looked between Jiraiya and Megumi-sensei. My heart stilled in my throat as a cold sweat began to form on my skin. What were they talking about?

"The power was thought to have been split evenly between all nine demons." Jiraiya cut in. "But that wasn't the case. There was a piece of the power that somehow slipped away and Orochimaru collected it."

"Miyuki's Kekkei Genkai allows her to copy any jutsu just by looking at it. It's a powerful strength, but it could lead to devastating consequences as well. Using it too often could result in blindness not just in her eyes, but in her mind as well. With Orochimaru, she had nearly reached her limit only a year in. She was becoming weaker and Orochimaru decided one day that he would try to implant the rest of the power to her, testing out her Kekkei Genkai, betting that it would somehow save her."

"Wait, you said the _rest_ of the power?" Asuma asked, taking a puff of his cigarette. "What happened to the other half?"

"It wasn't his first test." Jiraiya said, his eyes stern. "Orochimaru had the power with him for a long time, he was just looking for the right shinobi to implant it into. There was another before Miyuki, a failed experiment that holds the other half of the original tailed beasts power."

"The power was implanted and it made her better, stronger, but it was out of control and Orochimaru did the only thing he could think of to control it." Megumi-sensei said. "He planted the Cursed Seal of Heaven on her."

"Which did what?" Kurenai asked.

"Helped control the power, but not completely." Jiraiya said. "Did you ever hear about that demon terrorizing the east a few years ago, a terrible monster appearing in the middle of the night, ripping villages to shreds?"

"It was a rumor." Asuma said. "ANBU investigated that and found that the villages destruction was natural, nothing more."

"It wasn't." Jiraiya said before glancing down at Megumi-sensei. "Tell them."

It seemed difficult for her, all eyes burning holes into her face. I felt bad for her but I also wanted her to continue while secretly hoping she wouldn't say what I thought she was going to say.

"It was her." Megumi-sensei said and suddenly it was harder for me to breathe. The Jonin were struggling to turn over this new revelation in their heads.

"She's a Jinchūriki then?" Kurenai asked.

"No." Megumi-sensei said. "She only received some of the demon's chakra which her Kekkei Genkai took and made her own. The only issue is that it consumed her, pushed her over the edge and made her unstable. The cursed mark helped bring her back, but with the way Orochimaru used her, it wasn't any better. She was stronger and yet weaker than before."

"What demon is this? This before demon that was a Tailed beast?" Asuma asked. "All the beasts were sealed into humans, weren't they?"

"This was the original beast." Jiraiya began. "This power comes from when the power all the Jinchūriki have was in one solid body."

"What beast was that?" Kurenai asked.

"The Ten Tails." Kakashi breathed, earning a look from Megumi-sensei. There was a hushed silence while I struggled to control myself, my mind thinking back to all my nightmares, screams floating on the outside of them. I thought back to the feeling in my chest, the strength I had felt just as something sinister took over.

"The part that that girl has inside of her is stronger than the one the failed experiment had." Jiraiya said.

"Wait, let me get this straight." Kurenai said. Orochimaru is here, in this village and we've been worried about what he's going to do to that Uchiha boy rather than focusing on this girl, a holder of the Ten-Tailed beast power?"

"What are you implying?" Megumi-sensei growled, her eyes narrowing at Kurenai.

"I'm saying we should be focusing on her. Who knows if Orochimaru is using her again?"

"She wouldn't help him."

"'You don't know that."

"I know my students."

"Enough." Jiraiya said and both women turned away from each other.

"Does she know?" Kakashi asked after a moment which made Megumi-sensei flinch.

Megumi-sensei lowered her head, her eyes sad. "No."

"And it should stay like that." Jiraiya said. "There could be serious consequences if she finds out."

"There could be serious consequences just having her here with Orochimaru too." Kurenai snapped.

"She's _not_ working with him." Megumi-sensei growled.

"How do you know that for sure? He took her once, he can take her again." Kurenai growled.

Megumi-sensei took a step toward Kurenai but Kakashi stepped into her path, steadying her by the shoulders with his hands. Sensei looked up to shoot a dark glare at White Fang but something in his eye must have said it wasn't worth it. She looked away as Asuma reached up to clasp a hand down on her shoulder.

"My worry isn't with the fact that Orochimaru is here." Jiraiya said, folding his arms across his broad chest. "I'm more worried about the control Miyuki has over the power."

"I can control her." Megumi-sensei growled, her head snapping back over to Jiraiya, her eyes sharp.

"You don't know—"

"I can control her but what about your village's demon? That boy? Uzumaki?"

There was a hushed silence as sensei stared up at Jiraiya almost triumphantly and all the Jonin stared off in different directions, their eyes nervous.

"I can control Naruto." Jiraiya said, his voice firm. "But are you sure you can control Miyuki? I heard all about your heroics back then and I was proud and happy for you."

Something in sensei's expression shifted. She moved away from Kakashi's hold, her resolve weakening.

"But at the same time I want you to think back to what almost happened to you as a result, what your beloved student almost did to you. I want you to remember that and I want you to question if you could do it again." Jiraiya said. "Because if you barely survived the first time, how could you survive it a second time?"


	24. Chapter 24: The Story of Miyuki PtIII

**Chapter 24: The Story of Miyuki Obanji Part III**

"Again."

Orochimaru's voice was dark and cruel as it snapped out from the darkness and it made me shiver. He didn't sound happy and I knew he had no reason to be. It was pitiful watching the boy before us fight. You would think with six arms he would be better, but he was a mess, unable to beat training dummies. I knew he would die in a real battle and I remembered how before we had wandered into the Northern hideout, Orochimaru had been pleased to see the boy in action, convinced that he would be ready to leave the cave and join the world. Even the boy had been confident but now, he was a defeated, whimpering mess, his body splayed out on the floor, sweat glistening on his body, his breathing heavy.

"Such a disappointment." Orochimaru grumbled, folding his arms and narrowing his eyes at the boy. "Such a setback."

"I've b-been-try-trying." The boy panted. "I've be-been tra-training l-like you said."

"Not hard enough." Orochimaru growled before shooting a look down at me. I flinched at the sharpness in his golden eyes and felt my body tense.

"Take one of them off." He growled.

My eyes widened just as the boy's breath hitched in his throat. I glanced back at the boy, catching the terror in his eyes as he craned his neck to look up at Orochimaru.

"N-n-no!" He begged, but I knew it was too late. He had made up his mind already and there was no going back from that.

"Sens—"

"Do it." Orochimaru snapped, his voice dripping with venom. I flinched at his words and managed a nod.

I had always felt the power back then, floating around just under my skin. All it needed was for me to allow it access. Hearing the intensity in his voice propelled it forward faster and I felt it moving around inside of me, getting faster and faster, becoming harder and harder to keep in.

"Please!" The boy begged, his voice a little firmer. "Please!" Don't!"

I bent over, my arms wrapped around my body as I squeezed my eyes shut and once again felt it burst from my back, the power, the strength that made my knees shake and my head spin. The boy was screaming and I could hear it, the sound of one of his arms being ripped out of its socket. He continued to scream and cry out even a few moments after but once the power retracted back into my body, he stopped and I looked up, feeling as I always did after I used the power. Numb and like a stranger, a stranger in my own body.

The boy was on his side, shivering and shaking, one of his hands gripping his bloody stump of a shoulder, his eyes wide and gray in his skull. There was a small trail of blood from his body to the space between Orochimaru and I and I followed it, my eyes widening when I saw the boy's arm lying between us. It was twitching slightly and I felt myself getting a little sick, but my expression didn't change. I still felt numb, my lips pressed into a tight line as I looked down at the boy. The shock had been in my face for only a brief second before my hardened expression returned.

"Think back to this moment the next time I come to see you fight." Orochimaru said.

The boy said nothing as his body went limp, the blood from his shoulder pooling around him, his face going pale. He wasn't dying, but he was passing out and Orochimaru couldn't care less.

"Make sure to clean this up when you wake." He said, as he turned to leave.

It was one of the only things I could remember fully, the look in the boy's eye, the hardness in Orochimaru's jawline and the disgust in his eyes. I remembered the feeling of the power coursing through my veins, the anger I assumed Orochimaru felt coursing through his veins beginning to course through my own. It was the only memory that didn't feel spotty, that felt full and just as real as the day it had happened, but there was another memory too, one that had happened a few hours before I would be rescued.

We had travelled a lot, always bouncing between hideouts. I had been his bodyguard and I had been his best one, he often said, ruffling my hair. We had been in the Eastern hideout, walking down one of its long and winding hallways until he opened one door that led to a room of cylinders filled with what looked like water inside. It was rows upon rows of cylinders and I stood gaping at the entrance, following the rows until the very end of the long room, where a single cylinder stood at the center, apart from the others with a panel just beside it. Orochimaru was walking toward the cylinder, not even glancing at the others in the room.

I squinted into one cylinder and made out a mangled hand with two missing fingers. I stepped away, feeling a sharp pang of terror fill my body. I didn't want to look at any of the other cylinders and I raced toward Orochimaru's side.

"There is nothing to fear, Miyuki." Orochimaru said as he reached the panel and immediately went to work.

I didn't say anything because I had been gazing up at the main cylinder and noted that the water looked different, clearer if anything. I placed a hand on the glass just as a green light came on inside, giving the water an eerie appearance, but not as eerie as the floating head that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I screamed and jumped back, falling instead on the ground. The head in the cylinder, a boy, a little older than me, snickered down at me, his eyes menacing, his smile toothy and sharp.

"Suigetsu." Orochimaru said, not even bothering to look up from the panel. "I wouldn't upset Miyuki if I were you."

The boy's head froze in the cylinder and his eyes darted over to Orochimaru with terror flashing inside of them. He hadn't noticed Orochimaru and now that he had, I had never seen a fear so strong. The boy's head dissolved into the water and suddenly there was nothing but liquid inside and I was confused.

"Wh-who was that?" I breathed.

"A troublemaker." Orochimaru said, twisting dials on the panel.

"What are we doing here?" I asked, pushing myself up to my feet and looking at my sensei.

"Almost done." Orochimaru said before pushing another button and stepping back as if to admire his masterpiece. He flipped a switch and I saw the ghostly flicker of electric currents coursing through the main cylinder and my eyes widened.

"What's happening?" I asked just as the currents increased in power and suddenly I could see the boy's body appearing before dissolving in various points within the cylinder. His eyes were squeezed shut, his hands wrapped around his jelly-like body as he appeared to be crying out and I realized that the glass that confined him was sound-proof. My eyes widened as the currents reached maximum power and suddenly the boy's full body appeared, his eyes snapping open only to roll to the back of his head. His body slumped over to the glass just as the currents stopped travelling through his body and if I didn't know any better, I would have thought the boy was dead until a part of the glass panel jutted open and out spilled some water along with the boy's body. He hit the ground, hard, and I saw that he was in fact still alive, but his breaths were smaller, barely noticeable.

Orochimaru walked toward the boy, picking him up into his arms before bringing him to one of the metal table off to the side. He set the boy onto the table before strapping him in place. I watched him work quickly and watched as he slid and oxygen mask over the boy's head and noted how weak his breaths had really become.

"Ready?" Orochimaru asked, glancing back at me.

A shiver snaked up my spine. "F-For what?" I breathed.

He smiled down at me and motioned at the other table. "It's time for you to become even stronger and reach a whole new level."

My eyes widened in response. There was something wrong, I could feel it twisting around in my insides. I had never rejected him and I wasn't about to now but I'd be lying if I said the thought didn't cross my mind. I thought about running away but knew I wouldn't get very far. There was an edge to his smile, a promise buried somewhere beneath it. He was in my head and over the past few years he had become someone who could read my mind, who knew what I wanted and would do before I even did.

"Wh-what…wh-why-"

"Miyuki." His eyes narrowed at me and I knew he was growing impatient. I swallowed, a lump in my throat as I slowly made my way to the other table. I lied down, feeling the icy metal on my back and shivered. He slid an oxygen mask over my mouth and turned on the light above my head. It was blinding at first and as he began touching and turning things over at the small table between me and the boy.

"What are you doing?" I breathed, my heart slamming in my chest.

He didn't glance at me, didn't even bat an eyelash. His smile deepened though and he produced a scalpel from the table, turning it up as if to admire it in the light.

"I'm going to give them something worth dying for." Orochimaru said, staring at his reflection in the scalpel.

"Wh-who?" I breathed as he smiled down at me again before turning a knob by my head.

"Don't worry my dear Miyuki." Orochimaru said. "It will all be over soon."

What followed were bits and pieces of the memory, a fiery pain shooting through my body, my eyes shut to the world and the feeling of two hands sliding around my neck before squeezing. Then there was the feeling disappearing, the fingers being ripped away from my neck, leaving behind a trail of screams in its wake. Then there were screams all around me, horrible cries for help and the sound of the walls crumbling into themselves.

Then the darkness consumed me and the sounds rippled away until I felt something crumble over my face, heard the distant sound of rock shifting, of rubble being pulled away. My eyes snapped open just as the first beam of light trickled in. I winced before another chunk of rock was moved and then another and suddenly all that existed was sunlight, warm and filling as it shined down on my face.

I remembered taking a breath of fresh air and realizing that it had been a while since I had gulped one down.

"Megumi! What do you see?" A voice called out.

"She's alive!" A desperate voice called back. It was a woman's voice laced with deep worry and suddenly there she was, a woman with dark hair and dark eyes, concern knitting her thin brows together, her lips turned down at the end. She reached down to trace one of her hands along the side of my face as I began to cough.

"You're alright." She breathed, tears shining in her eyes. "Everything is going to be alright now."

I stared at her after my coughing fit, feeling confused, feeling lost and empty. What was she talking about? Who was this strange woman? Where was I?

"You're safe now." She smiled. "We're going to take you home."


	25. Chapter 25:Burn Bright Hot New Emotions!

**Chapter 25: Burn Bright! Hot New Emotions!**

My head was spinning as my mind raced. But, as much as I struggled to put two and two together, it didn't help. I felt just as lost as I had when I was eavesdropping, the shock never fading, just turning into anxiety, an anxiety so thick and heavy, it made my insides twist. I felt hollow inside, my body numb. _Ten tails._ _Orochimaru_. Jiraiya's words swirled around my head and the look in Megumi-sensei's eyes haunted me too after he had said his final piece. She had been shocked by the question and I could see her trying to imagine the scenario first before forcing out just any old answer. I had slipped away before she could manage something and for all I knew, she was still standing in the same spot, dumbstruck.

"Feeling better?"

I looked up at the voice and spotted Sasuke hovering just beside me, his usual disinterested expression on his face, his voice dry and only slightly cold. I could only manage a nod in response and knew that if I gave him anything else I'd end up crying on the spot and I didn't want to do that.

I had wound up on Sasuke's doorstep after walking around aimlessly for the most part. I had been running on autopilot and knew the moment I snapped back behind the wheel, that I was heading to a place that somehow always helped me get a little more grounded. As cold and putt-offish as Sasuke was, he was all about space and had said nothing when I knocked on his door. He merely stepped out of my way and let me climb onto the small armchair in the far corner of his room. He had gone about his business only coming around to give me cups of tea which he balanced on the edge of his nightstand and the occasional rice ball.

"What happened." Sasuke asked, easing down on the bed across from me. It wasn't a question, it was a command and I could already feel my throat tightening at the thought of letting it spill on the table. But, there was no telling him all of it either. Who knew what connections he would draw?

I hugged my knees against my chest and took a shaky breath. Of course, I had to say something. All afternoon I had been thinking back, digging through the little I could remember and I struggled to piece them together even though it was useless. There were too many gaps and the gaps became worse and worse. In my mind, my memories just stopped making sense and then all I had left was my bloody nightmares that only made me feel just as worse as I wondered now if all of them had really happened. But, I had to tell him something and some part of it had to have some kind of truth buried inside.

"I think I'm a monster." I mumbled.

I hesitated before looking up to meet his gaze, but his expression was even, the same actually. It wasn't anything less or anything more. He was simply unaffected.

"Why would you say that?" He asked a few moments later.

I hugged my knees tighter to my chest and hesitated once more. "I've just been thinking about everything."

"What about it."

I looked at him, a little fearful. "If I tell you, you can't get mad at me."

He blinked at me, saying nothing.

"I travelled with Orochimaru years ago, back when I was just a little kid. We travelled for years and while all I can remember are the good times, I'm sure there were bad times mixed in as well." I glanced down at the floor, the dead look in his eye beginning to make my skin itch. "I know because I'm pretty sure that's where my nightmares come from."

I glanced back up at him, studying the frown wiggling its way onto his lips, the thoughts brewing behind his eyes. He stared at me for another long moment before he pushed himself to his feet and walked to his balcony door. He braced a hand against the frame and took a breath.

"H-he trained me." I said. "He taught me basically everything I know, made it almost instinct."

His grip on the frame tightened.

"I wanted to make him happy. I wanted to make him proud of me and I was willing to do anything and everything in my power to make it happen, to make him see how dedicated to him I was."

"Why are you telling me this?" Sasuke growled.

"But he made me do awful things." I breathed just as the hot sting of tears lit my eyes. I gasped, a hand shooting up to cover my mouth as they began to slip down my cheeks. "I know I killed people, lots of people."

I sniffed and began wiping at my tears. A lump had formed in my throat now and the more I wiped at my eyes, the harder and faster they fell. Sasuke glanced back at me and I looked away.

"No one ever called me one but I always knew." I managed. "I always knew what I was." I remembered what happened after I was brought back to the village, the cautious looks everyone gave me as I walked around, the shiver that ran their spines whenever I so much as looked at them. I remembered the house all the test subjects lived in and how everyone had cowered at the sight of me, even Kyoske and Hideki, their eyes wide with terror. I was something to avoid back then and I was treated harshly but I wasn't allowed to fight back. Too many times I had fought back and been dragged to my room, locked away while the sounds of kids playing outside filtered through the empty walls. I remembered the day when one girl had gathered enough courage to say the words to me and it felt like it had happened just yesterday.

Her cheeks had been bright red, her eyes angry. She had been glaring at me with every ounce of hatred inside of her little body and she was ready to let me know about it. She had sucked in a breath, all of her friends cowering behind her, one of them reaching out to touch her arm, pleading words leaving her lips.

She had been ready to say it, her mouth opening, her lips forming the first letter when Megumi-sensei had burst into the room, panting and sweating and looked between us. It only took her a second to piece the scene before her together and she was by my side instantly, telling the children to "play somewhere else" before turning to me. She held my face between her hands, brushing my tears away with her thumb and fixed a soft gentle smile onto her lips.

 _"_ _Don't listen to them."_ She said then, her hands smoothing through my hair. _"You have every right to be here as they do."_

She had never wanted to hear the word, especially when it was associated with her students. We had all done cruel and terrible things under Orochimaru's rule and there hadn't been a person in all of the nations who hadn't heard about his army of bloodthirsty children terrorizing and killing anyone who opposed him. While that made us all a bit monstrous, no one was bigger than me, his right hand, his ultimate buki.

"He made sure to wipe my memory, but it still comes to me in my dreams, the memories, the memories of what I did, of what he managed to erase." I said.

"I don't care." Sasuke muttered, pushing his grip away from the door frame before he turned to look back at me. His eyes were dark, his hands in tight fists by his sides. I stared at him, tears streaming down my face, my body tense.

I wanted to tell him that he should care. I wanted to tell him that I was living proof of what he would become, of what his life would be like if he followed someone like Orochimaru. He didn't know what true evil was, he didn't know what it felt like to teeter on the edge of being somewhat human or inhumane. But, thinking back, it wasn't something I had known either. I had followed blindly, pulled by trust and trust alone. My wish had been granted at the cost of my mind and at the time it had seemed fair. I had been freed, thought everything was okay but even after all this time, I was still under Orochimaru's hold, just within his grasp and it would always be that way.

"I don't care." Sasuke said again. I could feel his hands sliding over mine and he pulled me swiftly to my feet. I stumbled, but he secured me in place, one of his hands snaking around my neck and tilting my head back so that I could look up at him.

Again, he didn't seem different to me. But, there was something there, an emotion I couldn't place burning in his eyes.

"You're not a monster, you're a person." Sasuke said. "There's no point in dwelling on things you can't even remember."

My eyes widened just as his hands slid further up my neck until they were holding my face between them, his thumbs drawing small circles against my cheeks.

"The only thing that matters is what you do after it all. You have those memories? Now what are you going to do about them?"

It wasn't a question that needed an answer even though he had said it like one. It was one of those self-help questions, the kind that people often spent their whole lives wondering about but in my heart I knew the answer to it. It reminded me of that night with Orochimaru, where he pressured me to tell him what I wanted, what I really wanted with all my heart and soul. I still wanted to protect someone except now it was a bit more personal. Looking up into his dark eyes, I realized I wanted to be by his side. I didn't just want to protect him from Orochimaru, I wanted to be there for him with his brother as well. I wanted to help him surpass his own dreams and goals but more than that, I wanted him to want the same thing with me.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him close, standing up on my tiptoes so that my head could rest on his shoulder. I turned my head slightly and saw it, his Cursed mark. Sucking in a quick breath, I leaned forward and pressed my lips against it, feeling nothing but the smoothness of his skin but I knew from the way he stiffened under me that he had probably felt something else, maybe a sharp pain or maybe it was just the sudden kiss.

He was frozen and only moved when I pulled my lips away. Just as I was lowering myself back down to my feet, one of his hands wrapped around my waist and he pulled me even closer to him. His other cradled the side of my face and he turned it up so that he could look down at me. Before I could sneak in another breath, he pressed his lips against mine.

…

"Did you sleep well?"

I opened my eyes, my lips twisting into a pleasant smile as I looked up at him. Three days had passed come and gone since my monster revelation and we had spent a good bulk of it lounging and rolling around in his bed.

"Did you?" I challenged, sticking my tongue out at him.

His lips twitched but before they could form a smile, I leaned up and placed a delicate kiss against his lips. I pulled away first, right before it was going to deepen and rolled onto my back. It was the early afternoon and I could feel that the sun was at its highest point in the sky. Sasuke had drawn his curtains, to block the light and while it worked for his balcony, the ones at his window on the left were lighter, and as a result, sunlight still managed to filter in. If I listened hard enough I could make out voices in the streets down below, friendly shouts here and there.

"You've been such a good host." I said, running a hand through the top of my hair before yawning.

Sasuke scoffed, rolling to his side. "You've been a decent guest."

I looked at him, shooting him a dirty look. "Jerk." I reached up and lightly hit his chest, which made him chuckle softly.

"I'm surprised you've been here, though." I said.

He moved then, moving his body so that he hovered above me. His hair was getting longer too and now the bangs that framed the sides of his face ended a little under his chin. I reached up, letting one of my hands rustle through his hair and I pulled some of it behind his hear.

"What makes you say that?" He asked as he lowered himself down, his head resting on my chest, his dark eyes locked on mine.

"I thought you'd go off and train all day." I said.

"Is that what you wanted?"

"No." I said and blushed with how quick it had all come out.

"I could put it off for a few days." Sasuke muttered and I felt the ghost of his lips along my collarbone. My breath hitched in my throat and the hand I had in his hair tightened.

"How kind of you." I managed.

"Besides, you looked like you didn't want to be alone." Sasuke breathed, his lips coming down on my throat.

"S-so noble of you." I breathed.

He pulled back so that he could see my face. I blushed even harder which made a light smirk twitch its way onto his lips.

"Some crazy girl told me to make friends or something like that." Sasuke said.

I couldn't help the giggle that slipped out of my mouth. "Oh, she sounds like a keeper."

He shrugged and I pulled him down for another kiss. When we pulled away, his words were still swimming around in my head but one of them in particular stuck out to me.

"Friends, huh?" I repeated, as I began tracing invisible patterns along his arm.

He looked down at my finger.

"Is that what we are?" I asked and then stopped myself short. _What was wrong with me?_ Since when had I become so blunt? Three days alone with Uchiha and I wasn't even thinking before I spoke. I pressed my lips into a tight line, wishing more than anything that I could just turn back time and pull the words back into my mouth and out from his ears.

"There's something else you want to be?" Sasuke asked and looked at me. I had no words, but judging by his smirk, my face had said enough. He leaned down, pressing his lips against mine once more and he deepened it a second later, pulling me as close as possible against him, till I felt small sparks of pain in my ribs. I held him just as tightly, a fistful of his hair in one hand and the other pressing tiny crescent marks into his back with my nails. We rolled to the side and I broke away to catch my breath, my eyes opening just so that I could catch the expression on his face. But, as my eyes opened, they caught something else standing by his door, two bodies, their arms folded across their chests.

My eyes widened and without giving it another thought, I let out a scream. Sasuke jumped and I pushed him away from me before clawing at the blankets, struggling to cover myself. He turned around to face the two intruders, who as it turned out, weren't intruders at all. Megumi-sensei and Kakashi. My sensei stood with an impassive expression on her face, her eyes hard as they looked between Sasuke and I. As for Kakashi, his head was turned to the side, his eyes locked on the wall, a light blush on his cheek. He seemed uncomfortable, while my sensei looked like she didn't even know the meaning of the word. If anything, she looked heavily annoyed, her lips twisting to the side, her nose wrinkling as if she smelled something sour in the air.

I struggled to swallow and found that I couldn't because of the heavy lump that had formed in my throat. I clung to the bed sheet, wrapping it tighter and tighter around my body as Sasuke sat up to try and hide me. But, all it really did was make me feel even worse as if I had something even worse to hide.

"What are you—" Before Sasuke could even finish his sentence, Megumi-sensei moved across the room, a steady pace as she walked to the balcony doors and reached for the curtains.

"So, this is what you've been doing these past few days?" Megumi-sensei asked, feigning interest, except it came out sounding dryer than anything else.

"Megu—" Kakashi started but was cut off as Megumi-sensei pulled the curtain back harshly and the early afternoon sunlight came bursting through the glass, blinding and hot. I gasped, my arms wrapping tighter around my body and I heard the floor creak as Megumi-sensei drew closer to the bed.

I looked up at her from my hair, struggling to keep my breaths even, my heart in my chest. Sasuke groaned beside me, an arm lifted to his face. I d looked up at Megumi-sensei, measuring the stern look in her eye.

Without saying a word, she reached down and grabbed my clothes off the floor. I blinked just as she flung them at me. The action was met with hushed silence and I wasn't sure how I should have felt. Angry? It certainly seemed like a logical reaction. She had barged in without any sort of warning and was clearly beyond pissed about something and even if I could put together what it was, it still didn't give her the right. Mortified? That was also logical. After all, she hadn't come alone and who knew exactly how much her and White Fang had seen. Stupid? Suddenly I regretted everything, from my feelings for Sasuke to the moment I had accepted my job at staying close to him.

"What's your problem?" Sasuke snapped, his eyes dark as he regarded my sensei.

"Sasuke." Kakashi's voice was even. He didn't look uncomfortable anymore, in fact, he was looking down at us now, his expression seemingly even.

"Get dressed." Megumi-sensei said, her tone clipped.

"Sen—"

She lifted a finger, cutting me off and I felt my shoulders slump as the shame set in. Honestly, what was wrong with me? I was on a mission not the main character in some stupid romantic movie. What was with the part of me that wanted to skip off into the sunlight with Uchiha? There was no happy ending for me, there was no happy ending for us. I wasn't meant to be in his world, be a part of his life. I was just supposed to protect him, make sure Orochimaru didn't take him, but there I had been desperate for more of him.

"Get dressed." Megumi-sensei said again. "We have a mission."

For a moment, I thought back to our current mission at hand but realized when my eyes met hers again that she meant something else. Another mission entirely. I looked down at the clothes littering the bed and with a quick intake of breath, I grabbed my shirt, slipping it on quickly before reaching for my pants.

"Miyuki." Sasuke said, turning to face me.

"I have to go." I said, forcing a smile even though I just wanted to burst into tears right then and there. It wasn't fair, really. I deserved answers. I deserved to be mad at sensei, to give some sort of protest. But, the obedient part within me, the part that screamed I owed her more than anyone else, told me that I knew better.

The look on Sasuke's face didn't help either. He was fuming, his eyes darker than I had ever seen them. I was rising to my feet when he reached out and caught my wrist sharply.

"Miyuki." Megumi-sensei called out to me from the doorway, before Sasuke could even utter a word.

I looked at her, at the impatience on her brow and let out a small sigh.

"Sasuke, I'm sorry." I said, letting my free hand reached down to caress his knuckles. He flinched at the softness in my touch and I knew it was taking everything in him to keep his eyes on me, to keep the same intensity in them as well. His grip loosened just enough that I was able to slide my wrist away and once I was free, I reached for my shoes, pulling them on quickly.

I walked around the bed just as quickly and paused when I reached Kakashi, who's eye was closed, his thumb and forefinger pressing against the bridge of his nose. I gave him a small, polite bow.

"I'm sorry." I managed quickly before turning and heading out the door after Megumi-sensei. I caught up to her a few feet outside of Sasuke's house and as I matched her pace, I kept my head low, afraid of what I would find if I met her gaze.

She didn't say a word to me and she remained that way until we were a few feet away from our hotel. My insides had been twisting into each other, fear clogging my throat. When she stopped walking, it felt as though time itself had stopped and I held my breath as I felt her turn to face me.

"I never took you for a stupid girl." She mumbled, making me tense. Her voice sounded like hot iron on my skin, and they left an equally hot sting behind them.

"Yet, there you stand." She said, sounding disgusted.

I glanced up at her, caught the darkness behind her already dark orbs of blackness.

"Sensei, let me explain—"

"I don't even want to hear you speak." Megumi-sensei cut me off, her eyes narrowing before she reached out and grabbed a fistful of my shirt. She jerked me forward and I gritted my teeth together behind my lips. I felt like a weak little doll in her hands and I didn't like it.

"Only an idiot would do what you've done." Megumi-sensei growled harshly in my face. "Only an idiot would let that boy touch them."

I felt my eyes narrow up at her and even though a part of me argued that it wasn't the time to have an opinion, I couldn't help but have one anyway. I knew whatever I had with Sasuke was wrong, the exact opposite of what our relationship should have been. But, for whatever reason, it had happened and we were…we were what we were. He might have still been a complete mystery to me, but I was starting to figure him out and I was liking what I was finding so far.

"I'm not an idiot!" I spat, before pushing away from sensei's hold. "I'm not going to let you stand there and call me stupid for feeling the way I do about him either."

An emotion I couldn't place shot across Megumi-sensei's face before she composed herself back into her hardened, military one again.

"And who says he feels the same way about you?" Megumi-sense growled, which was said so quickly, it quite literally threw me off.

We stared at each other, one of us speechless, the other glaring, hard. After a moment of this, just as words were beginning to form in my head, her expression softened slightly and I felt myself go on edge all over again. She was still pissed, but she had gone down a level at least.

"Listen to me, Miyuki." Megumi-sensei said, as her hands came down on my shoulders and she gave me a little shake. "That boy will ruin you."

My eyes widened as I thought back to that time in the park with the Sand Genin. _He's toxic_ , Gaara had said and his words felt just as real now as they had back then. I realized how far Sasuke and I had come since then, how much better I understood him now in comparison. There had been a point in time where I could force myself to believe such a thing but not anymore. Not with the way he stared at me and most definitely not with the way he clung himself to me, the way our bodies could come together so perfectly, it was impossible to tell where one began and the other ended.

I shook off sensei's words even though they left me feeling a little hollow inside. I was trembling from them, my mind reeling with the possibility that maybe Sasuke wasn't as good for me as I had thought after all.

"But you'll learn that for yourself." Megumi-sensei said, turning to look back at our hotel. "Shoving it down your throat does no good. You're too stubborn for that anyway."

I was still reeling from the memories her words had conjured up in me, but I managed to lift my gaze to her face. She glanced down at me.

"Now let's go upstairs so I can brief the three of you on our latest mission."


	26. Chapter 26: New Mission! Capture Itachi!

**Chapter 26: New Mission! Capture Itachi!**

"Wait…hold one…let me get this straight..." Kyoske said, his head shaking.

"What's there to get straight?" Kankuro asked. "We're with you three losers…again."

"Except now, we have more unfortunate company." Temari added dryly.

"What was that?" Neji snapped.

I sighed, feeling my shoulders slump in response to all of them. Hideki was rubbing his temples while Tenten was shooting hard looks in Temari's direction, probably still sore from her crushing and sweeping defeat at the hands of the Sand kunoichi.

"That's enough." Megumi-sensei growled.

"First, is this a wise decision? We're going to be heading into the final round of the Chunin Exams in a few weeks and we're going off on a mission right now?" Hideki asked.

"You are the strongest shinobi your age, not to forget the most promising." Baki said, his arms folded across his chest.

"Do you think we can't handle the mission?" Neji challenged.

"He's not saying that." Kyoske cut in.

"Just don't forget to keep up with the rest of us." Temari sighed.

"I don't need any of you holding me down." Gaara grumbled darkly.

"It's a simple mission! No need to worry or fret! We'll return with plenty of time for you all to train and prepare for the final round!" Guy grinned, showing his sparkling and toothy grin.

"Shut up, Guy." Megumi-sensei grumbled, making the bushy-browed Jonin sweat a little under the hard glare she shot in his direction.

"Someone said it." Kyoske grumbled, earning an elbow to the ribs from Tenten.

"Guy's right. The mission is pretty simple. We're serving as back up for the Cloud shinobi already tasked out for the main mission." Baki explained.

"Long story short, they were tracking a group called the Akatsuki and they've zeroed in on two of the group's members." Megumi-sensei explained.

"They were originally tasked to gather information on the group, but they now their orders are to capture them, or at least one of them." Baki finished.

"How many of us does it take to capture one of those guys?" Kyoske said, looking around.

"And the Akatsuki are a group of rogue ninja, right?" Tenten asked, her question met with brief nods.

"Are we allowed to know who these members are?" Neji followed.

Megumi-sensei shrugged. "They're not sure who the members are. All they know is that they came across what seems to be a hideout of theirs and there are more than one inside, no less than five."

"There's a lot of us, which should make this whole mission that much easier." Baki added.

He had a point. Gaara alone could probably take out two members and the rest, with careful enough pairings would be able to take down whatever else was left. I was about to give a determined nod when I remembered what Samui had to said to be in the bath a few weeks ago. She had told me about her real mission that night, how the Raikage had plans to expose the leader of the Akatsuki and bring an end to them before anyone else could. Itachi Uchiha. I knew then that one of the shinobi in that hideout was him and I felt my hands ball into tight fists at my sides. I had almost forgotten about Itachi and just thinking about him reminded me of Sasuke's steel resolve, his desire to avenge his clan which meant his strong desire to face off against his brother.

"Once we meet up with the Cloud shinobi, we'll break up into smaller groups, scope the area before moving in and breaking down our groups even further. One team will be strictly defense, two will be strictly offense and each team will have a medical ninja just in case." Megumi-sensei said.

"Can't we know those teams now?" Temari asked. "I don't want to be with Kyoske."

"Wha—" Kyoske's head snapped in her direction. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"You're annoying." Temari growled.

"You're not any better." I added.

Temari's eyes widened as she turned to glare at me while Kyoske snickered into his sleeve.

"You have something to say to me, Miyuki?" Temari growled.

"No." I said, turning away.

"I already said enough once." Megumi-sensei growled. "Don't make me say it again."

"If we're going to do this, we're going to have to at least pretend to have an ounce of respect toward each other. Once we step through those gates, we're one solid team." Baki said smoothly.

"We shall move off, into the horizon, toward our destinies!" Guy said, striking a pose as he did so.

Kyoske rolled his eyes while Tenten sighed. Neji simply shook his head, agitation on his brow as he shot glances at Gaara who looked just as sinister as he always did and equally disinterested. There was tension there for all of us and maybe a lot of it was for no reason and could just be blamed on our history together but, it didn't erase the present. We were currently stuck together and our personal feelings didn't matter. We had a new mission, another side mission apart from our Sasuke/Orochimaru one. I knew that Sasuke would be safe as long as he stuck by Kakashi's side and I knew that Orochimaru wouldn't surface now because it simply didn't match his style. He would stand back and wait, observe everyone and everything until he decided to make his grand entrance again.

We set off a few moments after our briefing and we moved quickly. The alleged hideout was near the Hidden Grass Village just beside Tenchi Bridge. It wasn't bad travelling but it would take half the day just to reach the location and that didn't count our rendezvous with the Cloud ninja. As we moved, I found myself lost in my thoughts, thoughts that circled around Sasuke and Itachi and Megumi-sensei's words. Overall, she hadn't reacted as badly as I thought she would have or maybe that was because she wanted me to see it for myself, that she trusted I'd figure it out on my own.

Sasuke wasn't perfect and yeah sure he could be a complete and utter jerk at times as well, but there was something there, something warm and kind and even sweet. He had a sense of humor and being around him felt right, everything about him, about us felt right as well. I didn't understand how something that felt so right and so good and so effortless, could be bad. It felt like everyone saw something else in him, something I wasn't catching or was completely oblivious to. Sure, he had his quest for vengeance but I remembered the moment in the infirmary during the preliminary rounds. He had said that he might have wanted something else and even though he hadn't specified, a part of me, a small, innocent part of me, wondered if I had some sort of part in those feelings, in that ounce of uncertainty.

"Miyuki?" Tenten's voice burst into my thoughts, making me jump slightly just before her hand came down on my shoulder.

"She's probably thinking about her boyfriend back in Konoha." Temari snickered.

I flushed. "He's not my boyfriend?!"

"You have a boyfriend? Look at our little Miyuki, all grown-up." Kankuro said dryly.

"At least she has someone." Kyoske grunted. "It's better than you and the forever alone sign you carry on your back."

Kankuro swung around to face Kyoske and threw a kunai at him, which Kyoske dodged with ease.

"You speak like you have someone yourself!" Kankuro snapped back. "You're worse than me!"

"In your dreams!" Kyoske growled.

"Is this what we're talking about now?" Temari sighed. "Your sad excuse for love lives?"

"Can we not talk about this?" Neji asked.

"Why don't we try not talking at all?" Gaara asked.

"Ohhh to be young again!" Guy swooned.

"Oh no." Kyoske sighed. "No! Change the subject!"

"I remember when I was around your ages." Guy said. "I was quite the strapping young lad."

"No way." Kyoske coughed.

"You had a lot of girls?" Kankuro asked. "You really must be delusional."

"Sensei, maybe this isn't the best time for you to throw it back to the old days." Tenten laughed nervously.

"There is always time, Tenten!" Guy said triumphantly before looking back at Megumi-sensei and Baki. "As a matter of fact, Megumi couldn't get enough of me back in the day."

"No." Hideki said, seeming bothered by the mere idea.

I couldn't picture the two of them being able to have a normal conversation yet alone share a kiss. Regardless, Megumi-sensei broke away from her conversation with Baki only to give a swift punch to Guy's face.

"In your dreams!" She growled.

"Our sensei wouldn't fall for a loser like you." Kyoske said.

"I don't think anyone could." Kankuro muttered.

"She still…can't…get…enough…" Guy breathed, placing a hand against his wound and swelling cheek, tears twinkling in his eyes.

"Why don' you just shut up, Guy?" Megumi-sensei snapped. "Maybe you'll have a face when we get back to the village if you do."

"I…still…got…it." Guy grunted.

"Yeah, you just can't seem to get those girls off of you." Kankuro added dryly.

"How is little Uchiha, by the way?" Temari asked. I had been relieved throughout Guy's speech about love and being strapping because all attention had shifted away from me and Temari's teasing words. But, of course she would bring it all back to me. Now, there was a hushed silence in the air and even though all eyes weren't necessarily on me, I felt their glances in my direction.

"When we get back, you can ask him." I said through clenched teeth.

"You and Uchiha?" Neji scoffed, a small smirk spreading across his lips. "Why am I not surprised."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I growled, maybe a little too quickly.

"Be careful, she defends her lover boy." Temari continued to tease and I never wanted to punch someone more.

"You must like the smell of fire." Neji said. "That's all."

I flushed at the small glance he shot in my direction and turned away, a sour taste building in my mouth. Now he marked the third person who was damning whatever was beginning to blossom between Sasuke and I.

"Why don't we focus on the mission at hand?" Hideki cut in and I realized that he hadn't spoken much even from the start. I glanced at him, noting the slight edge of irritation he wore on his brow. I knew instantly that something had happened but I also realized that whatever it was it could be numerous things.

"And shut up." Gaara grumbled darkly. Kankuro swallowed audibly while Kyoske's eyes narrowed at the back of Gaara's head. Neji's jaw clenched and Tenten pulled back a little, moving toward the back of our small Genin group. Temari's smirk became slightly strained while I stared straight ahead, finding solace in the quiet Gaara's words had inflicted on everyone. We lapsed into silence that seemed to stretch on for eons but in fact had been about two hours. Two to three hours of nonstop running and ad by the end of it, I was running on pure adrenaline.

"We're almost at the rendezvous point." Megumi-sensei said, breaking the silence after the third hour mark. Everyone was breaking a slight sweat, but we were all doing a good job at hiding it. if we were exhausted, you'd never be able to tell.

A few yards in and Megumi-sensei announced that we could stop. We all darted down to lower ground only to find the Cloud shinobi themselves in the small clearing.

"Bout time you all rolled through." Karui huffed.

Kankuro narrowed his eyes. "We're here aren't we?"

"We should move quickly." Samui mumbled. "They seem to be recovering and they've been in and out mostly for water."

"We believe they'll be leaving soon." Omoi said.

"Ugh! Omoi! That's totally what she just said!" Karui growled.

"She merely insinuated it, Karui! Insinuating is based on assumption and saying it, well saying it saying it. I broke it down so that our friends could just know the main point, have something solid to grab onto instead of noth—"

"Oh my everything…shut up." Kyoske snapped.

"Don't talk to him that way." Samui advised, her eyes narrowing.

Kyoske flushed. "I'm just…it's not…wait I…" He didn't have any words, which was unlike him, but expected whenever it came to Samui. She always left him at a loss for words.

"The teams are as follows." Megumi-sensei said. "Squad one, Miyuki, Karui, and Temari. Squad two, Kankuro, Neji, and Kyoske. Squad three, Gaara, Samui, and myself. Squad four, Hideki, Omoi, and Tenten. Squad five will be Guy and Baki."

"Squad one and two are strictly offense and they'll be going in first, leading the infiltration. Squad three will be standing back, leading the defense, and squad five will be back up to squad one and two while squad four will watch squad three." Baki said. "And no, Kyoske. I won't repeat any of it again."

"Pay attention." Temari snapped shortly after, to a completely flabbergasted Kyoske who had merely arched an eyebrow at the wrong time. He was still a loss for words, probably worse now as he stared between Baki and Temari.

"We attack now." Samui said and nodded toward Karui.

"Sounds good to me." Karui said, cracking her knuckles. "The faster we drag those bastards out the better."

"Who exactly is in there?" Neji asked.

There was a brief moment of silence before Samui stepped forward, her arms folding across her stomach.

"We believe there to be three members inside the cave a few kilometers away from here, one of which happens to be on the most wanted list." Samui explained. "Itachi Uchiha."

There was a moment where I could hear everyone but my team's wheels rolling inside of their heads, well everyone except Gaara's as well. Then, everyone's eyes widened and I could see the titter of conversation about this newest revelation forming on their lips before Megumi-sensei jumped in.

"We move quickly." She said. "No time for mistakes. The faster we get this done, the better off we'll be and the faster you'll all be able to get back to training for the exams."

We all nodded, swallowing our comments and breaking up into our teams. My team set out first, shooting through the trees, following an eager Karui. Behind us, I could hear Kyoske grunting about our speed and Neji telling him to suck it up. When we broke through the thick brush, I could make out the alleged hideout, a little hole in the ground, hidden underneath what looked like a small alcove of trees. It was a small cave of some sort and I knew right away, from the tension in the air that they knew we were coming and I prayed they hadn't anticipated the back up. I had expected them to be ready, but not ready and waiting for this exact moment.

"At least now we get to see what an Uchiha is really capable of." Kyoske grinned.

I glared at him and he shrugged in response as our teams landed just on the outside of the cave.

"What if this is a trap?" I asked. "What if they put up seals?"

"I can check that." Neji said and a few moments later his Byakugan spread across his eyes. he stared for a moment more before shaking his head. "Nothing. It's clear."

"Suspect." Kyoske said.

"Something isn't right." Kankuro said, looking around.

"What are you talking about? They're in there." Karui said.

"Listen." Temari said. "Kankuro's right."

"Listen to _what_?" Kyoske grumbled.

"Listen to the _forest_." Kankuro said. "What can you hear?"

We all piped down then and truly took in our surroundings, but all that came back to us was the silence. It was powerful and palpable. Not one creature scurried through the forest floor, not one bird flew through the leaves. The forest was so silent, you could hear a pin drop and be able to find it with little to no effort.

"Impossible." Karui grumbled. "How can it be so damn quiet?"

"There's someone inside." Neji grumbled.

"What are they doing?" Kyoske asked, his hand on his swords handle.

"They're just…they're just…standing there." Neji breathed his brow furrowing.

"Standing there?" Kyoske grumbled.

"It sounds like they're waiting." I said.

"Waiting for what?" Karui asked, her body tense.

I heard something then, something coming in fast through the trees. By the way everyone's body turned toward the sound, we all heard it and we braced ourselves waiting for the worst, except what burst from the trees was the exact opposite of what we had thought. It wasn't enemy ninja, it was just a flock of crows, big, black crows with leather-like wings flapping in the breeze. The whole flock headed straight for us and moved around us so quickly, we couldn't make out anything past their beating wings.

"Grr! What the heck!?" Kyoske growled, swatting at the birds.

"What is this?!" Karui grumbled, as she reached for her sword.

"Where did all these stupid birds even come from?!" Kankuro growled.

I tried to cover myself until I realized the birds weren't really picking at us. they were just flying around us and then I caught sight of one of their eyes, a ruby red color with three black tomoes. A Sharingan.

"It's a tra—"

Before I could finish my sentence, it was too late. Bursting from the flock of crows on top came a metal pole that slammed to the ground between all of us. the moment of impact forced the ground beneath us to implode and we all went flying back into our own clouds of dust.

"I swear you brats are too easy." A familiar voice called from atop the cave.

I grunted and jumped out from my dust cloud to glare at it and get confirmation. Karin.

She glared at me the moment our eyes met. "I'm getting real tired of your face."

I pulled out a kunai in response and braced myself for whatever she threw at me. I had expected to see her here almost, had practically seen it coming really.

"And we're getting tired of your stupid parlor tricks!" Kyoske shouted.

"I'm here to take one of you in, so why don't you make it easy on all of us and just give in right now?" Karui shouted.

"Take one of us in?" Karin scoffed. "You and what army?"

"Don't underestimate us." Temari growled.

"I don't take kindly to empty threats." Karin said.

"By order of the Raikage in the Village Hidden by Clouds, you're coming with us!" Karui pressed further, taking a step forward.

Karin's eyes narrowed in response. "You can tell the old man to come and get me himself."

I was ready to attack right then and there something by my feet caught my eye. Mist, thick and heavy, rising up from the forest floor. I had smelled water in the air earlier and knew instantly that Karin wasn't the only one in the area. There was someone else, someone who knew Hidden Mist techniques. Moments later, the mist had risen and there was no escaping it as well as no seeing through it. our eyes were useless now, well everyone by mine, Kyoske's, and Neji's.

"Mist Jutsu, huh?" Kyoske scoffed. "This supposed to be a joke?"

"No." Karin called. "You're just waiting for something bigger."

"Miyuki!" It was Neji's voice, calling out to me from the mist and I swung around only to meet a massive blade with my kunai. It was a sword with white and slightly dingy wrappings covering it. My eyes widened as I followed the length of the blade and met the eyes of a rogue ninja that my small village had housed before they discovered the truth about him.

"Ki-Kisame." I breathed.

The man chuckled. He looked like a living shark, with gills on his blue-green skin, small beady white eyes and spiky blue hair. He had gotten even bigger in terms of muscle and he towered over me, making me feel small and slightly uncertain. Just staring into his eyes conjured up the little I knew of him which though small, was enough to make my heart race. He was a murderer and a wanted man, the top of the list in the Land of Water. He had planned on overthrowing the government in our land and he was wanted for treason along with a slew of other things.

"Miyuki!" Kyoske called from the mist.

Kisame chuckled and pushed his blade away from mine. He jumped back into the mist, disappearing and I managed to suck in a quick breath. I had seen his forehead protector shining in the dim sunlight and I had also seen the long scratch running across the metal, across our land's symbol. A rogue ninja. A rogue ninja and of all of the ones we came into contact with, it just had to be the Monster of the Hidden Mist.

The mist was dispelled and I swung around just in time to see Kisame appearing above Temari, his massive sword swinging down just as she met the blade with her fan.

"No way." Kyoske breathed, his sword drawn along with Karui's.

"Temari! Hold on!" Kankuro shouted as he pulled off a strap on his Crow.

Temari pushed away from Kisame with a grunt, a light sweat dotting her brow as the massive man chuckled.

"He said to stand back, Karin." Kisame called to Karin who was still standing on top of the cave.

"I wasn't planning on moving anyway." Karin called back.

"Fire Style! Fireball Jutsu!" I called, sucking in a breath before firing off my jutsu at Kisame. He sliced through my attack with his blade and I watched as it dispelled it, the flames disappearing almost instantly. He chuckled darkly, turning his attention to me.

"Is that the best you can do, girl?" Kisame asked, his voice making me shiver.

Neji moved before I could form a response and he moved quickly. He was using his Gentle Fist technique, his Byakugan still activated and managed to hit Kisame's sleeve. It was a narrow miss and I could see the slight agitation in Neji's face.

"Take this!" Kyoske growled, appearing above Kisame when he landed. He was bringing down his word and Kisame chuckled darkly just as one of Karin's metal poles went flying through the air.

"Kyoske!" I shouted in warning. He narrowly dodged the pole and I saw it slice him across his cheek. But, as he drew closer to Kisame, the man lifted a leg and caught Kyoske, square in the back.

He went flying forward, landing face first on the ground. I raced to his side, and helped him sit up while he cringed in pain.

"You're going to have to do better than that, boy." Kisame said.

"Try this on for size!" Kankuro growled as Crow ripped free from his bindings and jumped into the air, opening its mouth to allow a stream of senbon to pour out of its mouth. Kisame blocked it with his sword but not before Neji darted forward.

"Eight Trigrams, one hundred twenty-eight palms!" He shouted. He moved faster than I had remembered and I realized suddenly that Neji had gotten even stronger since I had last seen him fight. He managed to catch Kisame this time, and his hands quickly through the air, hitting vital chakra points, 128 to be exact, with expert precision. Kisame gasped, his already wide eyes, widening further in his skull. He stumbled back, a hand lifting to his chest, shock covering his face.

"Hmph." Neji smirked confidently. "Not so much for talking now, are you?"

Kisame looked up at him and I watched with an icy terror as the shock melted away to reveal a shark-toothed smile. Neji's own smile faltered slightly as Kisame's deepened before his skin became translucent and then burst into water.

"A water clone." Temari breathed.

"Up there!" Karui called, pointing up toward the tops of the trees. Sure enough, there stood Kisame, right at the very top of a fir tree.

"How did he—" Neji breathed.

"He's one of the Legendary Swordsmen of the hidden Mist." I said. "That should be enough of an explanation."

"It's not really, but something tells me we're going to have to take it anyway." Temari growled readying her fan.

"My turn!" Kisame called, his hands forming signs quickly. My eyes widened when I realized what jutsu he was going to use and Kyoske jumped to his feet, realizing the same.

"Water Style! 1000 Hungry Sharks!" Kisame growled, lifting his hands into the air. There was a rumbling behind him and suddenly, the smell of water filled the air right before it formed a massive stretch of wall behind him. I could make out the sharks at the top of the wall, their bodies wriggling around before the wall began moving forward.

"Temari! Counter it!" Kyoske shouted.

"Already on it!" Temari shouted before flapping her fan. "Whirlwind Wall!" Two tornados were created and while one shot forward, meeting the center of the water wall, the second combined with the first to cut straight through. We drew closer together as the other parts of the shark wall came down around us. Karui and Kyoske sliced at any stray sharks and I tensed beside Neji. The water from the Kisame's attack splashed around our feet and once it was over, there was water up to our knees.

Temari was panting heavily by the time it was over and the water settled beneath us.

"Temari, are you alright?" I called to her, sympathy getting the better of me. I had never seen her so tired before.

"Why'd you use that technique out all the other techniques?" Kankuro growled. "Now you've reached your limit."

"I'll be fine." Temari growled back. "Just stay focused on him."

"Impressive." Kisame called from above. "For a Genin."

"We can catch him." Kankuro said. "I have just the trick up my sleeve to do it."

"Whatever it is, once he's in, we'll have to seal it as well." I said. "We can't take any chances."

"So, what's the plan?" Karui growled.

"We lure him out, try and give Kankuro the perfect opening." Neji said.

"I can seal him." I said. "It might not be enough to hold him, but it can hold him until we meet back up with Megumi-sensei."

"Sounds like a plan then." Kyoske smiled.

"Miyuki, stay back then." Neji said, his eyes hard as he watched Kisame jump out of his tree and land soundlessly on the water's surface. "Watch Temari and wait for Kankuro."

"I'll watch Kankuro." Karui said. "Puppet masters aren't too good with close distance combat anyway."

"It looks like it's just you and me against this demon, Hyuga." Kyoske snickered. "You ready?"

Neji's eyes hardened. "Always."

"Be careful." I managed, earning a glance from Neji. "That's no ordinary sword he has there."

"Yeah…I remember." Kyoske growled, biting his lower lip.

"It's the Samehada." Karui whispered.

"He's also no ordinary ninja. He earned his monster title fair and square." I said.

"We'll be fine." Neji said, his voice clipped. "Kyoske, let's go."

"Right behind you!" Kyoske shouted as the two of them shot forward.

It was hand to hand combat at first, nothing but fists and kicks and then Kyoske introduced his sword at the same time Kisame did. Neji brandished a kunai and suddenly there was nothing but the sounds of metal scraping against each other and cutting through the air. This went on for a few moments until the Samehada cut through Neji's kunai, giving Neji barely enough time to dodge the swiping sword. He rolled to the ground just as Kisame swung his sword to meet Kyoske's with a sharp- _CLANG_!

"You're a pretty good swordsman, boy." Kisame said with a dark smile.

Kyoske scoffed, breaking away from Kisame before bringing his sword down again. It was an opening that Neji took and he moved forward, his fingers coming down on Kisame's arm. He flinched in response and before Neji could land another hit, he jumped back.

Kisame pulled back his sleeve and noted the small red dot that had probably formed on his arm. A chakra point, not necessarily vital, but enough to make him feel uncomfortable at least.

The Crow shot up again and let out another array of senbon which Kisame blocked with his sword. Kyoske moved forward then, jumping up before flicking his wrist at Kisame. Small lightning sparks shot toward Kisame who grunted as the attack struck him. It did little damage, but it definitely made him upset.

"Kisame! Finish these brats already so we can move on!" Karin called out to him.

"What if we just take her instead?" I whispered.

Karui looked back at me.

"I think she knows Itachi." I continued. "If we take her, maybe he'll reveal himself and we can get a two for one."

"That's not a bad plan." Karui said after giving it thought for a moment.

"He's distracted now." Kankuro said.

"It's the perfect opportunity." I said. "Plus we can call for Guy and Baki if anything."

"Or they'll jump in on their own accord." Temari said. "Knowing Baki-sensei he's probably holding Guy back as we speak."

"I'll back you up, Miyuki." Karui said.

I nodded and didn't waste any time moving. I ran back toward Karin who didn't even realize I was coming to her until I appeared a few feet in front of her. She met my kick with her arm and grunted at the force.

"Why you little—"

I pushed off of her and delivered another kick that caught her on the side. She growled under her breath and pushed me off, one of her hands sliding down to touch her wounded side. I smirked at her.

"I'm not holding anything back this time." I said.

"Shame that I'm not in the mod to return the favor." Karin grumbled.

"I've been giving a lot of thought to you ever since we met up the last time, Karin."

"Am I supposed to be flattered by that or creeped out?" Karin said, flicking her wrist as a metal pipe shot down.

I didn't let her comment get to me. "Ever since we first crossed paths, I felt like I always knew you from somewhere, but I could never place you."

"But, then I said his name…I insisted that you had a connection to him and you freaked out." I said as Karin tensed.

"What are you blabbing about?" She snapped.

"I think at the end of the day, I do know you." I said. "You were one of his experiments weren't you?"

Karin seemed to freeze before a dark, violent storm began behind her red eyes.

I smirked, mainly to myself. "I'm right, aren't I?"

"Ever since I met you, I've only wanted to do one thing." Karin said, flicking her other wrist as another pipe shot down her sleeve. "I want nothing more than to kill you."

"He controlled me too, you know." I called out to her as she started toward me. "He made me do terrible things too."

"Argh! Shut up!" She shouted as she lifted a pole, swinging it down to the ground. It shifted beneath me and I jumped off just in time as the top of the cave collapsed into itself. She continued toward me though and didn't slow in her assault. We hit the ground and were still going at it, me on the defense, her strictly offense. She moved quickly fueled by her anger and she was getting even faster as her adrenaline kicked in.

"Don't try and make us the same thing." Karin growled.

"I'm not." I insisted.

She threw a pole at me and I managed to swipe it away from me with a kunai. She darted forward and caught me right in the stomach. I coughed and dropped to my knees just as she sending another fist in my direction. Crow appeared and caught her hand before it could make contact. Its mouth rattled at her and Karin groaned before she flicked her wrist and forced the pole that came down into her Crow's chest.

It gave me a chance to jump away and I did though I felt bad as the Crow crumbled to the ground below.

"Water Style! Five Hungry Sharks Jutsu!" I turned and caught sight of Kisame lifting a hand off of the water's surface and as his fingers moved up, five water spirals rose with them before they grew bigger and bigger, wider and more ominous and took the form of five hearty sharks. They shot forward, jumping down into the shifting waters before shooting up in front of my comrades.

"Kisame's gonna make fish food out of your friends." Karin smiled. "You still have a chance to help them."

I returned her smile which seemed to shock her a little.

"I have back-up." I said just as Baki and Guy shot forward, jumping down into the Kisame fight with ease. Karin was distracted and I shot toward her. I was just about to strike her when one of those Sharingan crows landed on her shoulder. I froze, ending my attack just as she turned to look at the bird.

"Demonic Illusion, Mirage Raven!" A haunting voice said. Suddenly, the steps between Karin and I felt longer. The one crow on her shoulder flew up and suddenly there were hundreds, no thousands of the damn things shooting toward me. My body was filled with sheer terror and I wasn't able to think properly almost instantly. The birds surrounded me and I struggled to swat them away but their talons grabbed at my arms and pulled at my hair. I felt my legs give out from under me as the storming flock of birds made my heart race anymore and I was left completely at their mercy, unable to defend myself.

"Miyuki!" Someone shouted distantly but the damage was done. I couldn't hold in my paranoia anymore. It was all too much to handle and I was blind within this bird swarm. What scared me more was the look in their eyes, powerful and cutting, the tiny Sharingan's staring right into my soul, reminding me how helpless I was.

I screamed with everything I had. It was the kind of terrified, horror-filled and that made people feel just the way it sounded. Frozen, paralyzed, and suffering. I blinked and the bird flock was over. I was lying on my back, my body trembling in the water and I looked up at a giggling Karin who stood beside another body. It was a man who was a whole foot taller than Karin, with jet black hair pulled back into a low ponytail and long bangs that extended past his chin. His cloak shielded his undergarments except for his sandals. His forehead protector had the Leaf's symbol at its center but it too like Kisame's Water symbol was crossed out in a smooth line. In his eyes he had the Sharingan and he stared down at me with impassive eyes.

"Itachi! You came to join the fun?" Kisame called as my comrades fought against his water sharks to no avail every time they dispelled one, they regenerated and it looked like Kisame had summoned even more because even Guy and Baki were fighting their own set.

I looked back at Itachi, seeing myself reflected in his eyes.

"No." Itachi responded after a moment of letting Kisame's words hang in the air. "I came to see what was taking you so long."


	27. Chapter 27: Project Zero!

**Chapter 27: Project Zero!**

"Itachi Uchiha."

I swung around to face the newest voice and found the rest of my team standing a few feet away from me. Everyone seemed to be standing behind Megumi-sensei who was glaring up at the oldest Uchiha.

The sharks had subsided and all eyes were locked between Megumi-sensei and Itachi, the tension beginning to rise. I was still shaking from the vision and realized halfway through my shivers that I had been trapped in some sort of short Genjutsu. I had let my emotions get the better of me and instead of taking a breath and thinking, I had panicked.

"We're here to take you in, Uchiha." Samui called, stepping forward.

"Good luck with that." Karin snickered.

"But we'll take whatever we can get." Hideki followed. "Whether that be one of your teammates or not."

Their commands were met with silence and Itachi stared down at all of them, his eyes unreadable. It struck me how similar he was to Sasuke, not just in the looks but in the overall attitude department as well. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, something within Itachi's cape moved and there was a clicking sound as three buttons on his cape came undone and one of his hands slid out, dangling over the edge.

"Then come and get them." Itachi said, his voice even.

It only took a brief second for his words to sink in and a second more to get someone, namely our sensei's to move toward him. All three of them moved at the exact same time, their expressions hard. Karin moved forward to defend but Itachi shook his head and she stopped. Kisame, on the other hand, hurled his sword toward our sensei's. It went slicing through the air and was going to hit all three of them because they had only one objective in mind, taking down Itachi.

Tenten moved even faster and pulled a scroll out of her weapons pouch, slicing the sticker with her finger and as the scroll opened, she bit her finger before slamming it onto the paper. There was a big cloud of dust that appeared before an iron chain shot out from the cloud, catching Kisame's blade before it could touch our sensei's. Tenten groaned from the strain of it all, the chain tight in her hands.

At the same time, our sensei's reached Itachi and were attacking with Taijutsu, which he dodged expertly. They went on like that for a few minutes until Itachi caught Megumi-sensei's leg before it could strike him, and threw her toward Baki, who caught her, but stumbled back. Guy moved past both of them, leaping into the air.

"Dynamic Entry!" He shouted enthusiastically. Itachi looked up at the attack and as Guy's leg swung down, it seemed to hit Itachi dead-on. Karin barely made it out of the way in time and when she landed a few feet away from the scuffle, I shot toward her, shooting a look at Kankuro who nodded.

Karin turned to meet my gaze, but it was too late. She had been more focused on the now clearing dust from Guy's attack that she didn't see me coming and I managed to hit her right along the jawline. Kankuro pulled out a thick scroll from his pocket and ripped the seal off of it.

A confident smirk found its way onto his lips as he opened the scroll. "I've been waiting to use this one."

The moment the scroll opened completely, Kankuro made quick hand signs and slammed his palm onto the paper, producing smoke right before something big darted out. It shot forward like a speeding bullet and when it appeared fully, my eyes widened. It was similar to the Crow in design, dressed in the same colored rags, except this one looked like a prototype puppet. It had a round belly and it looked like it served one sole purpose, to contain. It positioned itself in front of a still airborne Karin, it's belly flapping open.

"Karin!" Itachi called, his voice firm.

"Stupid girl." Kisame growled.

Itachi threw something attached to a kunai toward the puppet while Kisame shot forward. As he ran, he grabbed the hilt of his sword and pulled. Tenten slid forward and cried out as she struggled to pull the sword free from his grip and as he dragged her along.

"Tenten!" Neji called after her, but it was Omoi who ran after her, bringing down his sword to slice the chains. He caught Tenten as she stumbled back and Kisame swung his sword around and I jumped out of the way before it could catch me.

At the same moment, the sailing kunai landed inside the darkness of Kankuro's puppet and after a second, I realized what was attached to the end of it. A paper bomb and it exploded, ripping Kankuro's puppet to nothing but wooden clumps just as Kisame made it just in time to shield Karin from the blast.

Gaara stepped forward, his eyes dark as he watched Kisame land a few feet away from the blast just as Itachi appeared in a swarm of crows that sent shivers down my spine. But, we weren't done yet. The pile of broken wood dissolved into a smoke cloud and Kisame arched an eyebrow.

"Substitution, ehh?" He chuckled. "Smart."

"Not smart enough." Itachi said, his eyes darting to the side, to the real puppet that was coming toward him.

"Amaterasu!" Something in his eyes changed and suddenly black flames appeared, shooting toward the prototype puppet, entrapping it in flames.

"No!" Kankuro growled.

"So close." Temari said.

Gaara lifted a hand and the ground beneath our feet began to vibrate.

"We need one of them." Samui growled, drawing her tantō.

"Working on it." Megumi-sensei grunted, shooting forward with Baki at her side.

Itachi began making hand signs and the water began to rumble beneath us, matching the rumbling Gaara was causing on the ground. I bit my bottom lip, drawing blood as I forced my Kekkei Genkai to form the Sharingan and I quickly matched Itachi's hand signs.

"Water Style! Water Fang Bullet!" A mass of spiraling, drill-like water rose beside us and they shot toward each other, colliding.

"She has a Sharingan too, Itachi." Kisame said.

"It's a damn joke is what it is." Karin grumbled, pushing away from Itachi. "Just kill the stupid wrench, Itachi."

I began to see his Sharingan shift again and was feeling a little light-headed when Megumi-sensei's voice shot out.

"Don't look into his eyes!" She screamed.

I looked away, feeling a cold sweat shoot across the back of my neck. I was sure that whatever was lying in Itachi's eyes I had barely missed.

"Wh-why not?" Kyoske grumbled.

"It's his Mangekyō Sharingan." Baki explained. "With it he can cast out even stronger Genjutsu, similar to what he tried on Miyuki earlier."

"And you can get caught in it just by looking into his eyes." Megumi added.

"So how are we supposed to fight him now?" Tenten asked.

"The mission still stands." Samui grumbled.

"There's more of us compared to the three of them." Karui growled. "We can win this even if we can't look him in the eyes."

"It's still tricky." Neji said.

"Exactly." Hideki said. "We have a better chance at using long range attacks."

"Those flames aren't going out." Kankuro growled, eyeing his prototype puppet, while the rest of us glanced at it. He was right. The black flames were still going strong, but they didn't spread, they just continued to singe through his puppet.

"Because they're not ordinary flames." Karin snickered. "The Amaterasu's flames are inextinguishable."

"So, basically you're not getting your toy back." Kyoske said to Kankuro who glared at him.

"Shut the hell up." Kankuro snapped.

Kyoske held up his hands. "Don't get pushy with me."

"Shut up." Gaara grumbled, a vein pulsing in his forehead as he lifted his hands. The dark edge in his voice won over and the vibrating beneath our feet stopped as well. I hadn't noticed the cork in his gourd was gone and a hazy, layer of sand floated just at the gourd's mouth and suddenly, a whole bunch flew out and formed a clawed hand that shot toward the Akatsuki members.

Kisame sliced through the hand, dispelling it, but not ending it.

"He's a Jinchūriki." Itachi said.

"The one from the Sand." Karin noted.

"Easy boy…we'll come for you soon enough." Kisame growled.

The sand didn't touch the water's surface but pushed back against Kisame's sword, sending the ninja back a bit.

Itachi sucked in a breath. "Fire Style! Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

He exhaled several fire balls, all of them ranging in size and sent out in scattered directions. Gaara blocked what he could with his sand, but it wasn't enough to catch all of them. The rest that went past his sand shield, we all managed to dodge but not before a familiar sizzling sound caught my ears and what followed didn't give me time to shout a warning. Explosions rang out from the fireballs and we all scattered like insects, darting into the deep forest, shielding ourselves from the aftermath.

I landed a few yards away from the clearing, building chakra in my feet so that I hung up upside down on a branch. I was still shaking from Itachi's Genjutsu and now there was a distant pain building in my head from my still activated Kekkei Genkai. But I forced myself to work through the pain and told myself that as long as it didn't get worse, I'd be fine. I needed to focus, tune into my surroundings. But it was silent, the forest still, just as still as it had been before Karin and Kisame had appeared.

"Obanji." It was a breathy voice, alluring almost. But, it made me feel unsettled inside. I was about to turn when I caught sight of the black and red cloud covered robe beside me and suddenly the voice clicked.

I stopped myself from meeting his face and he chuckled, one of his hands reaching out to wrap around my neck and give it a squeeze. I swallowed and gasped at the pressure on his fingertips. He was standing right behind me and I could feel his eyes burning holes at the top of my head. I was too scared to move, too scared to think even. I was frozen again, and just like I had been surrounded by the sea of cawing crows, completely at his mercy.

"Now I remember you." Itachi said.

"Itachi!" It was Karin's voice and suddenly there she was, landing a few branches in front of me, her eyes hard.

"You're Orochimaru's pet aren't you?" Itachi continued.

"Not anymore." I growled.

"But you don't deny that you once were." Itachi countered, making me flinch.

"We have to go." Karin called again, sounding wary.

"In a moment." Itachi called out to her. "Obanji…that's your clan isn't it?"

I didn't answer but my silence spoke for itself.

"I remember your clan."

I flinched.

"And I remember you."

I couldn't remember Itachi having a place in my life and even though my memories were scattered and cloudy, I was sure I would remember someone like him. I knew that shortly after he had murdered his clan, Itachi had sought refuge, as most rogue ninja did in my village but his stay had been cut short when Akane caught word of what he had had done a day into his stay. She had banished him from our lands and he had left willingly. But, that had been years ago and I was sure during that time, I had been with Orochimaru.

"If you're going to kill me, just get it over with already." I managed.

"No, I can't kill you." Itachi said, his hand sliding away from my neck, leaving behind a trail of Goosebumps.

I arched an eyebrow as Karin shifted ahead, seeming uneasy. I realized then that I needed to put distance between him and I. I needed the space to think of an even better plan, preferably an escape.

"Wh-why?" I asked.

"Because your Creator made that impossible." Itachi finished.

"Itachi." Karin said, her voice sounding more like a plea now. I glanced her way and registered the worry knitting her brow together, the frantic look in her eye as she looked around.

"Karin—" I moved then, jumping away from Itachi and to the branches across from the two rogue ninja.

Itachi didn't move but Karin reached into her cloak and pulled out a kunai, her eyes hard as they took me in. Any sign of her nervousness faded to the background now as she looked at me.

"What are you talking about?" I breathed.

Itachi turned to me and I almost met his gaze when I remembered what Megumi-sensei had said about them. This made him laugh and his chuckle infuriated me.

"You don't know?"

I almost glared at him.

"No, she doesn't know the half of it." Karin said. "Itachi, let's go."

"Obanji…" Itachi let my surname drift off into the space between us and it felt like it was some sort of acquired taste and not just a name.

"Tell me what you know!" I demanded.

"There's nothing to tell." Karin growled. "If you don't know then that's how it's supposed to be!"

"Karin." Itachi snapped, his voice hard like a knife. Karin flinched at the edge in it and I watched as her shoulders slumped. He turned his head to face me again, but I kept my eyes trained just below his nose.

"You know more than you're letting on." Itachi called out to me.

"Humor me then." I said.

Another chuckle and this time, Itachi shifted slightly.

"Why'd you do it?" I asked, choosing a different route. If he wanted to draw out all that he knew, I'd hit him right where it hurt. I'd ask the difficult questions. My question was met with silence and it took everything in me to try and stop my smirk from spreading across my lips.

"Do what?" He asked.

"Why'd you let him live?" I asked.

Longer silence and Karin stepped forward.

"Little brat…" She hissed under her breath.

I ignored her and instead waited for Itachi to answer just as the distant aches in my eye became even harsher. I groaned, lifting a hand to cover my Sharingan eye.

"He wasn't worth me killing." Itachi said, making my eyes widen. I could imagine a small Sasuke, cowering before his big brother, tears glistening down his face as Itachi told him what he was worth. It broke my heart and I was speechless.

"We need to go." Karin said to Itachi before jumping to his side. " _Now_."

She stressed the last word, seeming just as urgent as she looked at him, sweat sliding down the side of her face.

"No!" I shouted at them. "Tell me."

"He doesn't have to tell you anything!" Karin snapped as Itachi righted himself on his tree branch.

"I know that you're a product of Project Zero." He said.

I tried to hide my surprise. I remembered Samui saying something about that during our Rain mission. She had mentioned how if I didn't know what it was, there was a reason but now, there was Itachi Uchiha, a rogue shinobi from Konoha, talking about it.

"And I know that you don't know what that is but that it feels like you do, like it's just on the tip of your tongue." Itachi continued.

A shiver shot down my spine as I realized how true he was. My memory was fuzzy but that didn't stop the small pang of familiarity from growing inside of me.

"Until next time, Obanji." Itachi said and when I looked up, breaking Megumi-sensei's command to avoid his eyes, they were both gone just as an explosion sounded from somewhere behind me. The leaves around my head rustled as a powerful blast of wind and heat knocked into me from behind. I groaned, struggling to hold my ground as the powerful winds subsided but not before I caught sight of the shower of black feathers floating down from the sky.

I looked up, following the array of bird feathers as they floated only to see a Crow nestled at the very top of a tall tree. I stared up at it, noting how shiny and long it's feathers were before my eyes landed on its bright red Sharingan eye. My stomach tightened and as I opened my mouth to let out a breath, call out, I wasn't sure what, but the moment my mouth opened, the bird shifted. Suddenly, the treetop was empty.

I sucked in what felt like a hollow and shaky breath, my head reeling as I bent over, my hands on my knees. I felt overwhelmed and tired but more than that I needed answers. It was no longer about Orochimaru and putting the blame on all he had done to me. I had never had the desire to know anything before. I had been more focused on putting it all behind me but now there could be no more running away. Now, I needed to know everything about my past, everything everyone around me seemed to know and I only knew one person who would give me a straight answer.


	28. Chapter 28: Jiraiya Speaks!

**Chapter 28: Jiraiya Speaks!**

"So, that's it?" Kyoske asked. "You know, we didn't really do anything."

"Other than get our butts handed to us." Kankuro growled. "And waste our time."

"We're not going after them, if that's what you want." Megumi-sensei said.

"Wha-why not?" Tenten asked, stunned. "They have to be close by."

"No, it's not smart. Every time they get away, their numbers increase." Samui said, her arms folded across her bountiful chest.

"Doesn't help that they're strong too." Karui added. "Who knows who the next addition to their team will be."

"The fact that they had Kisame is enough." Hideki said, his words bringing a sort of sober mood over our huddled group.

Itachi and the others had gotten away and though it would've probably taken Neji a few seconds to find their exact location, the Jonin had forbidden it. Too much had happened and Samui agreed. Trying to capture Itachi in our current state, with our current skill set of ninja, wasn't wise. Sure we had the numbers, but the fact that it had taken six of us to try and fight Kisame alone spoke for itself.

"So, what are we going to do?" Kyoske asked.

"We're going to go back to the village and to prepare for the exams." Megumi-sensei answered almost instantly.

"Just like that?" Temari asked.

"Going after them wouldn't be smart and yet what if we did and what if they did have another member? It would only split us up more and then we'd be unprepared to handle someone like Itachi and that would result in our demise by his powerful Genjutsu." Omoi noted.

"We know that already, dingbat." Kyoske growled.

"Don't call him names!" Karui snapped.

"We were told to capture Itachi _if_ we could." Samui said. "Our Raikage thought it would be best to call upon the other nations for assistance, to try and make it easier."

"I didn't see us making much of a dent." Baki said.

"It was worth taking the risk!" Guy said, punching the air swiftly. "We gave it our all and we did it in the name of _YOUTH_!"

"Shut up, Guy." Megumi-sensei growled.

"We'll go our separate ways then." Samui said. "We'll deliver a report to our Raikage."

"What about the Akatsuki, though?" Tenten asked. "Don't they pose a threat to all the nations?"

"Their purpose isn't clear." Neji said. "They don't seem to move with a purpose either."

"They've wasted a lot of chakra." Megumi-sensei said. "For now their main focus is recuperating."

"They're all merely a blimp on the radar." Samui said.

"The only reason we were given such a task were because of the rumors about Itachi." Karui said. "Which were just rumors."

"Until we saw him with our own eyes." Omoi finished.

"And now it's in ANBU's hands." Samui added.

"But what about what they said about Gaara?" Temari asked.

"What about Gaara?" Kyoske asked, shooting a glance at the boy who was leaning against a tree as far away from us as possible, but still in our view. He didn't react to the mention of his name, he just continued to lean against his tree, his eyes closed, his body relaxed.

"They know what he is." Temari said. "They said something about coming for him."

I remembered that too and I glanced back at Gaara trying to imagine it all. There was no way, no matter how strong the Akatsuki were. Gaara's demon, the One-Tails, was an obstacle they had to overcome first and it protected Gaara over everything else.

"I doubt they'll be able to touch him." Kankuro mumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"But it'd be fun to see them try." Kyoske snickered.

"This whole mission was pointless." Neji said, looking annoyed.

"You're just upset because you didn't get to hit Uchiha." Kyoske said.

Neji glared at him. "Like you were able to touch any of them."

A vein pulsed in Kyoske's head and he glared at Neji in response.

"I was just getting warmed up!"

"Is that going to be your excuse during the exams as well when they wipe you clean off your feet?"

"What did you say Hyuga?!" Kyoske shrieked.

"That's enough." Megumi-sensei growled.

"So we're just heading back?" I asked. "Just like that?"

"Our defeat proves it's too much for us to handle, no matter how experienced we all are." Samui said.

I was fine with it all. I was desperate to just get back as quickly as possible. I wanted my answers but just looking at Itachi reminded me of Sasuke and there was an ache in my chest with just the thought of him. Megumi-sensei's warning aside, it didn't change how I felt inside. I didn't even care that we had technically failed another mission.

We said our partings to the Cloud ninja and as everyone else got a head start, Megumi-sensei called us back, motioning for us to move closer.

"What is it, sensei?" Hideki asked.

Megumi-sensei looked down at each of us evenly, though I felt mine was a little more weighted than everyone else's.

"It's about our mission." She said.

"What about it?" Kyoske asked, tensing.

"Late last night a body was found near where the Sand shinobi are staying." Megumi-sensei began, her eyes cutting over to me. "It was Dosu."

My eyes widened in response and Kyoske nearly choked. Hideki didn't seem to have much of a reaction, but his jaw did tense slightly. Megumi-sensei seemed a bit somber as she looked away, her eyes searching for something in the forest beside us.

"What now then?" Hideki asked. "We were only supposed to stay as long as the Sound ninja."

"They were the only team that made it through." Kyoske said. "He was the only one in the final round."

"And he's…dead?" I breathed, still shocked.

"It appears he tried to pick a fight with Gaara and it didn't work out in his favor." Megumi-sensei said.

"Obviously." Kyoske grunted, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"What about that other exam proctor?" Hideki asked. "I saw the report before we left."

"What report?" I asked.

"Hayate." Megumi-sensei. "He's dead as well."

"Wha—" I gawked. "How? What happened to him?"

"It looks like he was in a fight as well and he didn't make it out." Megumi-sensei said. "Took on more than he could handle but the rumor is that he came across Orochimaru."

"Orochimaru killed him?" Kyoske growled. "He was in the village right under our noses?"

"What does that mean? What's going to happen now?" My heart was slamming in my chest as a plethora of answers swirled in my head. Would we be going back to home? But what about Orochimaru? What about the Exams? What about Sasuke? Just thinking about him made my chest ache again and I had to turn away before anyone could see the tears welling up in my eyes.

"I'm not sure." Megumi-sensei said, folding her arms across her chest. "I sent a message to Akane and we'll just be awaiting her response for now."

"But we know what the answer will be." Hideki grumbled. "Let's not beat around the bush."

"But the mission isn't over yet." I said, earning a look from everyone, a lump forming in my throat.

"We'll see for now." Megumi-sensei said. "That's all I can tell you."

"This is crazy." Kyoske growled, kicking the toe of his shoe into the ground.

"But it was Gaara who killed Dosu and it was out of defense? Or do we think it was staged?" Hideki said.

I looked at him. I didn't need anyone to tell me how dangerous and unstable Gaara was. I had seen that all for myself. It also wasn't unlike him to kill for just the hell of it, but the fact that it was Dosu, it made me a little curious. Did the Sand Genin know more than they were letting on?

"It was defense." Megumi-sensei said. "The only one I'm not sure about its Hayate."

"ANBU is looking into his death." Hideki said.

"As they should if it's Orochimaru." I said.

"No…I think it's just his girlfriend going over the top." Megumi-sensei sighed. "I don't believe it was Orochimaru, but then again as curious as I am about Hayate, he's not part of our mission."

Silence followed her words and though she had a point, there was also an edge in her voice. There was nothing more to say, nothing else to do. Hideki was right, we knew the answer and pretending that we didn't would only lead to frustration. I could already see it building in Kyoske who had probably been daydreaming about a fight with someone, anyone really during the exams. Hideki might not have seemed frustrated, but he did look a little disappointed. All that had happened in the past few months hadn't quite been at all what any of us imagined would happen when we agreed to the mission and yet, there we were. I felt an uncertainty bubbling in my belly, as the sour taste of un-satisfaction pooled onto my tongue. Had we failed? It certainly felt like we had no matter where we turned or how many times I looked at all we had done overall. We hadn't done anything but make things worse.

"We should hear back from her in a few days. But, for now, we'll look into Orochimaru only since there are no Sound ninja left to look out for." Megumi-sensei said. "And we'll carry on as normal, continue getting ready for the exam as planned."

"And what happens if we get word to leave?" Kyoske asked, beating me to the question.

Sensei stared down at us, measured each of us with her eyes. She was quiet for a moment but I could see the answer behind her eyes and knew she had had one the moment the question was asked. But, she was building the heart to tell us.

"Then there's only one thing we can do." She said before she began walking past our small circle. "We leave."

…

I ran toward him, building up chakra in my feet before jumping into the air. I extended my leg and straightened my form just moments before impact but instead of striking Kyoske in his chest as I had intended, his hand caught my foot.

His brow furrowed as his eyes seemed to study mine and I felt myself flush in response. We were both drenched in sweat and while he was using his forehead protector to pull his bangs away from his face, I was relying on my hands running through the front of my hair to pull back the stray strands that stuck to my face and neck. We were fighting in the local training grounds and had been going at it for about two hours nonstop. We were panting, tired, our muscles starting to tense up, but we pushed forward. Kyoske had peeled off his shirt and tossed it to the side and I had noted the group of girls watching, hearts practically shining in their eyes as they watched him fight.

"You're holding back." Kyoske noted, pushing me back and making me stumble.

I gritted my teeth together, fighting back a retort. I wanted to tell him that I wasn't holding back, but just that I couldn't shake Megumi-sensei's words from my head. It had been a few days since she told us about Dosu's remains and we still hadn't received any word from Akane. We were all anxious and it was building, becoming almost inescapable until Kyoske suggested we train. Hideki hadn't been interested and Miyuki-sensei mumbled something about having to run errands so all that really left behind were Kyoske and I and it felt like I couldn't deny it. I didn't have anything else to do anyway and it had been a long time since Kyoske and I trained together anyway. It felt good somehow, right almost.

I was avoiding Sasuke and had been ever since we had returned from the mission. It just didn't feel right after standing and breathing in the same air as his brother to face him and not tell him that I had run into him, that my whole mission was to try and capture Itachi. But, then again thinking about Itachi made me think about my own demons lurking in the shadows and I still couldn't shake Project Zero from my head.

"It's not that." Kyoske said, his eyes breaking away from my face. "You're distracted."

I sucked in a breath, wiping the sticky sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand.

'Thinking about your little boyfriend?" Kyoske asked.

I glared at him instantly, feeling my cheeks light up. "Not you too."

He snickered into his glistening shoulder and reached up to scratch the top of his head. "You don't like to be teased…got it."

I walked over to where our training gear lay strewn across the grassy field and picked up my water bottle. The ogling girls squealed and when Kyoske looked over at them, they darted behind a big bush while he stared at the spot where they had been standing, bewildered.

"Your fans?" I asked with light smile on my lips.

Kyoske grinned as I tossed a towel at him. He caught it and wiped his face with it before shooting me another one of hid devilish grins. "More like stalkers I guess. I'm sure Uchiha gets more than me though."

"Not interested in Konoha girls?" I asked, trying to be coy. I didn't want to focus on his words. The thought of other girls pining over Sasuke didn't bother me, but it certainly made me laugh.

Kyoske smiled to himself and shook his head. "No."

"Still all about Samui then?" I asked.

He looked at me.

"How did it feel…seeing her after all that time?"

Kyoske looked away, then up at the sky above and at first he said nothing. But, his aura had changed. He seemed quieter suddenly, smaller almost too.

"It was fine." Kyoske said. "We didn't get to talk much."

I nodded. "Do you miss her?"

He thought about this one and seemed to chew it over in his mouth, his lips twisting. He looked back at me, an easy expression on his face. "Yeah, I guess."

"It's just complicated." I smiled softly.

"Is that her words or yours?" he asked, arching an eyebrow. He was amused for just a brief moment before his lips settled and his brows fell even. Suddenly, he seemed sad, his lips pressed into a tight line. "Did she ask for me that time we went on the mission with the Leaf?"

"Huh?" It was such an odd and sudden question, at first I was speechless but the answer had formed instantly in my mind. I couldn't remember a conversation about Kyoske, just how silly and over the top he would be if he ever laid eyes on her. But, he hadn't said anything to her during our latest mission and I couldn't remember them even looking at each other either.

Kyoske smirked and shrugged, throwing his towel down onto our pile of gear. "It's alright. You don't need to tell me. Something tells me I already know the answer anyway."

"Kyoske—" I began and took a step toward him just as he reached out a hand and caught my arm, stopping me.

He fixed a firm look on me before continuing.

"You know you can talk to me, right?" Kyoske asked.

My eyes widened.

"You've been distant ever since we got here and maybe you're going through somethings and maybe not but, we used to come to each other all the time before all this, remember?"

I did. I remembered stormy nights where I had wandered down the halls of Akane's home toward Kyoske's room and had slipped into his bed to ride out the storm. It had gone on for years and it had felt natural, almost as natural as it felt slipping into Sasuke's bed. Kyoske had always been there to push me and support me. An older brother I never got to experience who loved me for me, who wanted the best for me. I saw a lot of him in Naruto though there was a line when it came to eccentricity. Regardless, it had always been the two of us but nowadays I was keeping to myself. I had forgotten all about keeping Kyoske in the loop

"I remember." I managed.

Kyoske nodded. "That still stands…no matter what, right?"

I nodded before a smile broke out across my lips. He was right. Even if I couldn't have Sasuke for long, I still had Kyoske. I still had someone to vent to and though I wasn't ready now, with time someday, I would be. His hand slipped away from my arm but I moved toward him, wrapping my arms around him, not even cringing at the dampness on his skin.

"Really?" Kyoske chuckled, placing a hand at the small of my back.

"You're an idiot, but you're _my_ idiot."

"Thanks, I guess?"

I pulled away a moment later, not even disgusted despite the fact that I had every right to be. I placed his face between my hands and we smiled down at each other as I stood up on the tips of my toes and he bent down just so I could place a small kiss on his cheek. His cheek was damp as well but I didn't mind. It felt just like how it used to, when it was just the four of us, when things weren't so complicated.

There was a sound of someone clearing their throat and we broke away, my eyes snapping open, Kyoske pulling away before swinging around to face the voice. My eyes widened at the sight of it though I had expected such sudden visit at the same time.

"Sasuke.' I said, my voice breathless as I took him in. His hair had gotten even longer since the last time and he looked a little tired as he stood glaring between Kyoske and I. But, his glare was strong as was the fire cackling behind his black eyes.

"What's up, Uchiha?" Kyoske asked, his arms folding across his chest.

It was too easy going for Sasuke's taste and it showed by the way his glare hardened and Kyoske's lips twitched. I stared between the two of them before stepping forward and wrapping Sasuke in a one-armed hug.

"Hey." I greeted, deciding at the last second to take the oblivious route. He didn't buy it, which was fine because I hadn't expected him too. I had avoided him completely, purposely stayed away, avoiding the places I knew he would be. The only good thing was that he had no idea where we were staying but, I knew even that wouldn't last long either. He would find us one way or another and he wouldn't hesitate to come knocking on the door and who knew how Megumi-sensei would react then.

"I'll leave you two to it then." Kyoske said sheepishly, grabbing our gear and giving me a quick nod before sauntering toward the front gates of the training ground. I watched him go, feeling bad but at the same time hating myself for feeling excited by his departure. I hated the part of me that was feeling giddy about being along with Sasuke too. Who knew how long we'd have each other and while I should've let the feeling take over, I fought against it. I couldn't get too attached because that meant leaving would be that much worse and there was already a hole forming in my heart from just the thought of it all.

Sasuke stared at me, his eyes briefly looking me over before they studied my own eyes. I forced a smile onto my lips in response but that didn't seem to lessen the hardness in his eyes.

"You're mad at me." I sighed.

He said nothing at first, just stared at me with that same dark look. I didn't know what else to say but the look on his face was starting to irk me. Why couldn't he just be happy to see me? What was so hard about that? Couldn't he just hug me? Or even better kiss me?

"If this is about the other day with Megumi-sensei—"

"It's not about that." Sasuke said, cutting me off.

I blinked at him, bewildered at first. Then what else could it have been? I feared the worst for a moment, thinking that someone, possibly Neji with as petty as he was from day to day, had told him about Itachi. It certainly seemed possible that such a thing could leave his lips and spitefully too.

"Then what is it?" I asked.

His hands balled into tight fists at his sides, but he took a step toward me, which only made me take a step back. He lifted a hand and caught my wrist, pulling me back toward him and I slid, hesitant and cautious. His eyes were still unreadable, slightly angry and it made me a little unsure of myself.

"When did you get back?"

"A few days ago."

"And what were you doing?"

"On the mission?" I asked. "I can't tell you that. It's confidential."

"No, not on the mission."

I arched an eyebrow and he sighed, and his eyes looked away from my face, irritation making his jaw twitch.

"These past few days." He said through clenched teeth.

It took me a minute but then it hit me. Of all the things, of all the things Sasuke Uchiha was…Sasuke Uchiha was…

I thought back to the kiss I had planted on Kyoske's cheek and the irritated throat clearing that had sounded moments later when I didn't pull away right away. I remembered the look in Sasuke's eyes as I broke away, the blunt and dark stare shot in Kyoske's direction before he saw himself out. It all made sense then and I was blown away, unable to fully wrap my head around it but there it was. It was crystal clear, a dark cloud hovering just above his head.

Of all the things…of all the things…of all the things, Sasuke Uchiha was…

"Are you-are you j-jealous?" I asked, unable to stifle the smile spreading across my lips.

His eyes widened a fraction before they settled back into his familiar dark expression. But, all that did on my end was make me smile even more and before I could stop myself, I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him close. He stumbled to support us both at first, one of his arms wrapping around my waist to secure me while the other flailed briefly, before holding midair.

"What's your problem?" Sasuke grunted, sounding annoyed and for all I knew as I buried my face into his neck, looked it too.

But, I ignored him. He could get prissy all he wanted but it didn't stop it from being true. Sasuke Uchiha, jealous. Jealous that I had kissed someone else, someone like Naruto even. I couldn't help the smirk that came over my lips. _Jealous_? It was the one emotion I had always been willing to bet Sasuke never felt and yet, there it was. I breathed in the scent of him, bracing my head on his shoulder to get a better whiff when I heard another familiar voice in the distance.

"Well, maybe if you weren't so busy scoping out girls, I wouldn't call you out _Pervy Sage_!"

It was Naruto's voice, sharp and shrill, and just beyond the gates of the training ground. I stiffened and looked and sure enough there was Naruto nagging the Sanin Jiraiya who was glaring down at him.

"All you've done is give me problems with the ladies, kid." Jiraiya shot back.

"Well, do your job and we wouldn't have any problems!" Naruto fired right back, which made Jiraiya's face redden even more.

I pulled away from Sasuke, feeling my hands begin to tremble. I had known what I wanted on the mission, had set my mind on finding answers. I couldn't go to Kakashi because I was sure he didn't know much and he would hint Megumi-sensei off. As for the other Jonin, Kurenai and Asuma, I was willing to bet those two didn't know any more than Kakashi knew. I knew Jiraiya was the only one who knew it all because Megumi-sensei wouldn't tell me especially after he left her speechless. I had been building courage the past few days so that when I faced Jiraiya, I was ready for anything but now, now, he was so close and so were my answers.

I pulled away from Sasuke and met his carefully measured gaze. I forced a tight-lipped smile before pressing a firm kiss to his cheek.

"I'll see you tonight, I promise." I said, backing away, toward Jiraiya and Naruto. "There's just something I need to do first."

He watched me go, his expression as unreadable as always, but he didn't protest. I jogged toward Jiraiya and Naruto and just as I reached the gate, Jiraiya glanced up at me. I watched as his expression changed. I arrived just in time to cut Naruto off in whatever lecture he was in the middle of giving and watched as even he slowly turned to face me.

"I need to speak with you." I said the moment silence fell and I watched as this registered in his head before his lips pressed into a tight line.

…

We settled in a small barbeque shop but it was clear by the way he ordered tea that we weren't there for the food. We sat across from each other, his expression stern and something told me he didn't wear a look like that often. I thought back to all that Orochimaru had told me about him, a distant tone in his voice. _Flashy. Crazy. Over the top_. He had always sounded like quite a character, a jokester of sorts and now facing him with his imposing face, it certainly felt different.

He sighed and eased back into his seat and I marveled as the small action made him seem just a little more relaxed. We stared at each other for a few more moments and just as I was about to lift a hand to wipe at the underside of my nose, he spoke.

"You look just like her." Jiraiya said, his voice surprisingly gentle despite his expression just a few moments ago. "Just like your mother."

My eyes widened. "You knew my mother?" I gasped.

Jiraiya smirked. "Of course I did. Her and the Fourth weren't too apart from each other age-wise."

I nodded, torn suddenly between wanting to know more about my mother and finding out about Project Zero.

"But, we're not here for that." Jiraiya said, folding his hands over his tea cup.

I nodded. "You're right."

"So go on." Jiraiya said, motioning toward me. "Tell me why we're here."

I swallowed, finding it surprisingly difficult. There I was demanding answers from a Sanin. I would never have done such a thing to Orochimaru back in the day and a part of me knew that even now, even with as much hatred as I had in my heart for him, I wouldn't be able to demand anything of him.

"I heard everything the other day." I said. "But I want to know about Project Zero."

Jiraiya nodded, seeming to think over my words before he took a careful sip of his tea. I watched him, watched the thoughts form in his head and watched as they travelled down to his lips.

"I know you heard everything, I hope you stayed for all of it."

"I stayed up until the part where you insinuated that I tried to kill my sensei."

"You weren't yourself." Jiraiya said. "And I didn't insinuate."

I pressed my lips into a tight line.

"Regardless, I'm pretty sure I said everything I knew that day." Jiraiya said.

"What about the other experiment?" I asked. "Do you know who they are?"

Jiraiya smirked. "The failed experiment? I don't think anyone knows who it is."

"Then what about Project Zero?"

Jiraiya seemed to hesitate for just a moment before his eyes drifted above me, toward the exit. They hovered there for a few minutes until they found my face again and he let out another sigh, this one exasperated.

"Project Zero is you and whoever the failed experiment is." He placed his forefinger and thumb on the bridge of his nose and shot me an even look. "I don't know much about it, just what ANBU gathered from his files."

I nodded.

"He was never satisfied having two separate bodies. The power was meant to be combined and he tried to do just that but it had disastrous effects. There had to be a balance of some sort and the only way realistically to bring it all together involved getting a whole new body that was strong enough to handle it and killing the other two."

I bit down on my lip to keep myself from having any sort of reaction. It was just like Orochimaru to want such a thing and I could imagine him underneath all his kindness and soft words, wanting something so dark. I had always suspected it, under all his kindness that he was planning something darker. But, I had always been blinded, always second -guessed myself, always told myself that I was wrong. But, I was right. I had always been right. He was the monster and I was just his pawn.

"Then there was the issue that you yourself were unstable. The failed experiment was too weak and you were too unpredictable. It was impossible to control and when the failed experiment tried to strike back, it was just as disastrous. He cast them out, threw them out into the streets and nothing much else is known. Project Zero was abandoned and he moved on with you by his side."

"But no one knows where they are?" I asked.

"I do know that they were incredibly weak. The fight that the two of you had really weakened them. I wouldn't be surprised if they were dead."

I nodded and took a shaky sip of my tea.

"But, of course that's impossible because that's the root of Project Zero." Jiraiya said, forcing me to nearly choke on my tea.

"What are you talking about?"

"If the other half was dead, you'd be dead too. The power seeks out its other half and it would have forced its way into your body. Which would have been overload in the state that Orochimaru had you in when Megumi found you."

"Okay…"

"It would have killed you without a doubt." Jiraiya finished. "Even now, it would still be overload."

I lifted a hand and placed it over my cursed mark, feeling a distant ache shoot up the side of my neck.

"You have to admit, not using it puts you at ease just a little." Jiraiya said, his eyes observant.

I flushed and looked away. He had a point.

"But you can always feel it, something stronger than yourself. Something uncontrollable just underneath your skin. The mark helps hold it back, but imagine if that wasn't there?" Jiraiya leaned forward and my eyes darted over to his eyes.

"You don't remember what it felt like whenever it slipped out?"

I thought back to my nightmares, the feeling of something bursting out from my body and the horrible sounds that followed. I remembered it, somehow. Maybe not the way it really was, but it was a memory either way.

"He wiped your memory." Jiraiya said. "That was something he failed to do with the experiment, that part was written clear as day."

"Why didn't he?" I asked, finding my voice.

"If he had, maybe they'd be more like you, able to assimilate into society, able to make people doubt what lurks under their skin." Jiraiya said. "The memory wipe helped you sleep at night."

"So it was necessary." I mumbled, my fingertips digging further into the mark.

"It worked." Jiraiya said with a shrug.

"But sensei…"

"Your sensei is and was a lot of things, but she's stubborn. She thinks she can handle things that she can really barely comprehend."

I shot him a look.

"That's not necessarily bad, but it's not necessarily good either. When she found you that day, she vowed to protect you, vowed to show the world that you were good, could be good."

"But with the way you were attacked her the other day…"

"We go back." Jiraiya said. "Your sensei's no saint, at least not the way she paints herself to be in your eyes."

I pressed my lips into a tight line, fighting back the urge to tell Jiraiya that he didn't need to tell me that. My sensei had told me about her past, the person she was, all that she had done. Maybe there was more, but I had the general idea down. She was a spoiled brat, had taken everything and everyone for granted and thought the world owed her everything. She had been kidnapped numerous times, to the point where it shouldn't have surprised anyone but then one day she got her act together, took a stand and vowed that she would never be weak ever again.

"But I'm not here to bash her." Jiraiya said dryly. "I don't know much about her these days, I just know her past."

"What are the consequences?" I asked.

"Consequences?" Jiraiya asked before downing his tea.

"You said before that there would be consequences if I found out what I really was."

Jiraiya nodded. "For starters you could seek out Orochimaru on your own for answers or you could seek out the power of the demon, try to bring it out so that you could see the power for yourself, putting everyone in this village at risk."

"Megumi-sensei would stop me."

"She almost died the last time she tried to suppress your power and if she dies in the process Konoha turns to its next option."

I arched an eyebrow before it hit me. Naruto. Naruto with the Nine Tails awakened within him, forced to defend the village. I shivered at the thought and instantly felt bad.

"Naruto." I breathed.

Jiraiya nodded. "It should never come to that. The fox is uncontrollable and it killed the Fourth by him just trying to seal it away, so imagine having to calm it down once it's out?"

I nodded in response and looked down at the tea leaves in my cup, feeling my insides twist. I wouldn't seek out Orochimaru and I wouldn't try to summon the power on my own, my nightmares scared me enough to prevent that. I didn't want to put my friends in danger and I most certainly didn't want Naruto to get hurt in the process.

His chair scraped back against the tile and I looked up just in time to see him rise from the table. He stepped to the side of the table and offered me a stiff smile.

"Are you afraid of me?" I asked.

He looked at me for another brief moment before his smile deepened, became less shaky.

"Kid, I'm not afraid of much anymore."

"You're always on edge whenever you look at me."

"I know what you're capable of." Jiraiya said before giving me his back. "And I see the company you keep."


	29. Chapter 29:Destruction of The Leaf Begin

**Chapter 29: The Destruction of the Leaf Begins!**

I didn't go to Sasuke's house that night. Or the next day. Or the day after that. In fact, I completely avoided all things Uchiha and struggled to find some sort of solace in it all. I was holed up in our hotel room and was struggling to find some sort of focus while helping out Hideki and his research but it all felt futile.

It had been weeks since Megumi-sensei had reached out to Akane and still, we had received no further directions. With the Sound teams gone, there was nothing left to research, just news to follow. No leads on Hayate's death but ANBU still wasn't ruling out homicide. As for Dosu, Hayate's demise seemed to have taken it over and as for his other team members, Kyoske hadn't seen them. Megumi-sensei was still putting on airs with the other Jonin as Kyoske made time to trail her too. She was trying to hold face, trying to get us sponsors which Hideki said wasn't as futile as it sounded.

 _"_ _Even if we don't get to fight, we can still gain interest."_ Hideki had said. _"More jobs regardless."_

It was one way of looking at it but of course Kyoske blew raspberries in response which made me giggle and Hideki roll his eyes. Kyoske insisted that we would leave, no turning back, disappear as quickly as we had appeared. He was sure we wouldn't even have time to bid our friends goodbye, but I didn't want to think that way.

"The matches have changed." Hideki said, drawing my attention away from my own darkened screen. I looked up at him, my brow arched.

"Who's fighting who?" Kyoske asked.

"There are question marks by our names but it looks like the Leaf is planning who fights without us in the mix." Hideki said. "First round is Naruto versus Neji."

"It's over!" Kyoske cackled as I shot him a dark look.

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"Neji and Naruto? That has Naruto's death written all over it." Kyoske continued to laugh. "Goofball versus prodigy? That's like Sasuke versus Naruto."

"He's been training with a Sanin." I said.

"Who Sasuke? Neji? That's even worse!" Kyoske cackled, his hands holding his stomach as he hunched over.

I glared at him. "No, Naruto."

"A Sanin? Who would take that dingbat on?" Kyoske asked.

"Who else?" Hideki sighed. "Jiraiya…who I'm sure has helped him channel his demon spirit."

Kyoske's laughter cut short and he looked over at Hideki, his eyes wide. "No way."

Hideki shrugged and reached up to adjust his dark glasses. "I wouldn't put it past him and Naruto's determined enough to do it too."

"That makes him a force to be reckoned with then!" Kyoske grinned. "I hope we do get to fight and that I get Naruto then."

I smiled. "I thought you wanted to fight Sasuke?"

"If there's even a Sasuke left to fight in the end." Hideki said.

I looked at him. "Why do you say that?"

Hideki glanced over at me from his screen. "Sasuke is fighting Gaara."

My eyes widened as I thought back to the time on the cliff side, where Gaara had appeared out of nowhere. He had been ready to fight right then and there and Kakashi had stopped him. While I hadn't thought twice about it, I wondered if maybe Kakashi had known the line-up all along. It would be a match to see, an Uchiha fighting against the Sand's demon. I could only imagine the thunderous roars from the crowd urging them on, fueling Gaara's rage, making his demon's emotions bubble.

"Oh man…the main event." Kyoske said, sliding his hands together. "Sounds about right."

"Anyone of us against Uchiha would be a fight to see." Hideki said with a firm nod.

"But Gaara…" I swallowed.

"It's a fight to the death, no matter what." Kyoske said before sweat formed on his brow. "I mean as long as he doesn't have to fight me…"

"He'll kill you without hesitation." Hideki said. "At least with Miyuki and myself he'd show some sort of hesitation."

"Gee…thanks." Kyoske sighed.

I turned away from them, my gaze turning out toward the window. Gaara and Sasuke? Was that even fair? They were both capable but Sasuke…did it have to be Sasuke? Why couldn't it be him going up against Naruto? Or Shikamaru? Or even Temari? Why did it have to be Gaara? But of course it had to be. They were the main attraction and I knew if all the Five Nations could have their way, their match would be the only one, broadcast live all over the world.

I shivered at the thought of Sasuke even coming near Gaara and knew that it would take everything in me to keep from running onto the field. Gaara's blood lust, growing ever since their first interaction and though they had come a long way, Gaara was thirstier. What's more, he knew that there was something brewing between Sasuke and me and I was sure whenever he delivered the final blow, he's find me in the crowd to give me one final look before he ended it.

I stood up, the blood rushing to my head instantly, making me dizzy as my stomach turned. I had to get some air, had to get out of our stuffy hotel room. I started for the door.

"Miyuki, where you going?" Kyoske called.

I opened the door and glanced back at them. "I need some air."

"Don't forget we might find out if today is the day we—"

I shut the door, not wanting to hear the rest of it. Hideki had been speaking and while I felt bad for cutting him off, I continued walking and didn't stop until I was in the heart of Konoha and its midday traffic, walking without any purpose whatsoever. I felt lost almost, unable to shake all that had happened in the past few weeks and wrap my head around the truth. It just all felt like too much to handle and Jiraiya's words haunted me.

He knew what I was capable. He knew what kind of company I kept, which as strange as it all sounded, made me a little nervous. I wasn't sure what he meant exactly, but I knew it could mean a number of different things and maybe that was what it really was, the endless possibilities stretching out in front of me.

"Alright Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto's voice rang out, startling me and making me stumble. I swung around to face it and found Team 7 huddled in Ichiraku's stand, their backs to me as Naruto raised his bowl of ramen high above his head, a big grin on his face.

"Easy, Naruto." Kakashi chuckled while a vein pulsed in Sakura's forehead.

"Why are you so loud? You could wake the dead!" She growled, pulling Naruto down by the collar of his jacket.

"Idiot." Sasuke mumbled.

"Kakashi-sensei says it's his treat! So we have to eat up!" Naruto smiled.

"I think you've eaten enough for all of us." Sakura said dryly.

Kakashi pulled out his wallet and looked down at it, opening up a flap with a sigh.

"One more bowl! That's all I need!" Naruto said before downing what looked like his third bowl.

"Geez…where does he put it all?" Sakura asked.

"It goes to his head, can't you tell?" Sasuke said, seeming impatient.

"Seems strange doesn't it?" Megumi-sensei's voice drifted down from beside me. I froze at the sound of her voice but managed a quick glance in her direction.

She was half obscured in the shadows and her eyes had a dark tint in them as she watched Team 7 dine.

"It's almost like we're not needed." Megumi-sensei continued. "As if we could leave right this moment and everything would be alright."

"That's called life." I managed.

She was silent for a moment and as Naruto called for another bowl, Kakashi started digging through his wallet for money while Sakura eyed the bill and Sasuke slid out from his seat.

"We're leaving." Megumi-sensei breathed. "On the day of the exam."

I swung around to face her fully but found that she was gone and as her voice settled into place around me, tears lit my eyes. That was in a few days, just a few more days. In just a few more hours everyone would be walking to the arena except for my team and what could we do but watch them go?

"Miyuki?"

I turned only to find Sasuke walking toward me, his expression still impossible, his gait calm and a bit relaxed, his hands in the pockets of his shorts. His dark hair had a dark blue tint to it in the now setting sun and his eyes were still impossible dark but they seemed a bit softer.

I didn't know what to say or do. Avoiding him was impossible and now…now it was set in stone. We were leaving and who knew when or if we'd ever cross paths again. I wanted to run to him and at the same time away from him. I wanted to burst into tears and at the same time throw myself into his arms. But, I stared straight ahead, struggling to keep my emotions in some sort of check.

"Hey." I managed.

He hadn't attracted everyone else's attention and now he was standing in front of me, staring down at me and I swore my heart couldn't beat any faster.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

My eyes welled up, the tears making my eyes blurry and in that moment, I threw myself at him, my arms wrapping around him as if for dear life and I wished, wished with all my might that we could just run away from it all. I wished that we could just run away and never look back and go and find a place where the two of us could live and not have to be bothered with anything.

But, I also knew that would never happen and for now, as I cried into his chest, I knew I would have to somehow find the strength to settle for the time we had left instead.

…

"Good luck." I managed before getting up on my tip-toes and planting a soft kiss on his lips.

He held me close, his grip on my waist firm. When I pulled away and lowered myself, one of his hands cupped the side of my face and he tilted my head back so that he could plant a firmer kiss against my lips.

My heart raced, my knees wobbled too. It was the kind of kiss that knocked you off your feet and left you wanting more but I knew by the way Kakashi cleared his throat a moment after, our time was up. Sasuke pulled away, his breathing a little heavy and I stared up at him, feeling the heat on my cheeks. He let his hand slide down my jawline before he stepped away from me.

"You sure about finding your own way in?" He asked, taking his spot beside Kakashi.

I smiled, feeling the hot sting of tears building behind my eyes. We had fled from Ichiraku's last night and gone back in his apartment, I practically molded myself against him, wanting nothing more than for the two of us to somehow become one. We had woken early but he had insisted that he needed to go and train and that I didn't need to go with him, but I had insisted and wound up watching. Before we knew it, we were late for the exam but Kakashi had planned a speedy entrance. Now, they were ready to go and I was holding them back.

"I don't want to ruin your big, bold entrance." I managed.

Sasuke smirked and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his black one piece with small belts adorning his left arm and similar black bands on his legs. His hair was so long and while I had insisted on giving him a haircut last night, he told me that there would be plenty of time for it after it all and that almost made me cry all over again.

"See you in there." He said before both Kakashi and he disappeared into a smoke cloud. I held my breath until they appeared inside and after a brief moment of hesitation, suddenly there was a thunderous applause filling the stadium and my chest tightened all over again.

"It's done." Megumi-sensei's voice said from beside me.

I swallowed, wiping at my eyes with my arm.

"Man…" Kyoske sighed, running a hand through his hair. "What a bummer."

"Maybe next time we'll see him fight." Hideki said.

"What's the verdict with the fighting in there?" Kyoske asked.

"Naruto won against Neji…landslide victory actually. Didn't look so good at first but then he channeled the Nine Tails after all." Hideki said.

"You should be a psychic." Kyoske said, making Hideki shrug in response.

"What about everyone else?" Megumi-sensei asked.

"Shikamaru forfeited his match." Hideki said. "They were getting ready to make Kankuro and Shino fight until now most likely."

"It's just like Kakashi to be fashionably late." Megumi-sensei said, a ghost of a smile lighting her lips.

"We can't even stay to like…peek?" Kyoske asked.

Megumi-sensei shook her head. "No, no time."

We all sighed then, but I turned away first, unable to keep staring at the stadium and hearing their chants from inside. _Uchiha! Uchiha!_ It all made me sick.

"Let's get going then." Kyoske sighed. "Faster we get there the faster we can put this all behind us."

Hideki handed me my back pack and I slid it on as we began our walk to the front gates. I felt terrible, a hole forming in my chest, but I pushed forward. No more Sasuke. No more Sakura and Naruto. Maybe one day we'd see each other again but who knew how long until then? Would Sasuke be mad? Sad? Did he even have any other emotion other than anger? Would he hold a grudge against me? Would he blame me for everything?

"Hold on." Hideki's voice cut through my thoughts and we all froze, before slowly turning back to face him.

"What's wrong?" Kyoske asked, breaking the silence.

"Something's not right." Hideki said, looking around.

We all took a moment to look around carefully, but it didn't take long to realize that he had a point. It wasn't so much that the streets were empty because we expected everyone to be locked away in their homes or huddled in shops to watch the live coverage of the Chunin Exams. But, there was something eerie hanging in the still air and it made the hairs on the back of my neck rise. I couldn't put my finger on it, couldn't quite place the feeling, but it was looming.

"I just had to see you pieces of trash for myself."

I froze at the sound of that voice, the familiarity bringing me back to the time we had been with Orochimaru. I had a distant memory of that voice, taunting and abrasive, holding nothing but contempt and with a face to match it all. I remembered the voice sitting high in the alcove of our main hideout, its hateful eyes trained on me as I stood proudly beside Orochimaru.

 _"_ _Doesn't look like much of a big deal to me." It had uttered._

 _"_ _Looks can be deceiving." Orochimaru had responded, a hand coming down on my shoulder, giving me a reassuring squeeze. I had stood straighter with his touch and looked up timidly at the voice surrounded in darkness._

But, as I looked up at it now, no at _her_ now, nothing much had changed. She was still very much like a boy and after not taking my crude advice to just cut it off and be done with it, her hair was still as untamed and unapologetic against her fair skin as it had been since the last time we had met. Her eyes were still their cruel shade of dark brown and instead of her usual impassive look, she was sporting an amused one this time as she looked down at us from her position atop a light post.

"Th-there's no way." Kyoske breathed, his eyes wide.

"Who is she?" Megumi-sensei asked, her hands in tight fists at her sides.

Of course, Kyoske had every right to be shocked. Back when we had last seen them, we had been living with them in the hideout, constantly pitted against each other and them in some cruel act of sportsmanship. They would beat and taunt us but her cruelty and hatred toward me was greater. Orochimaru had moved on, taking a few of us with him and leaving the rest behind. He had said we were ready for the next step, which was something she and her comrades had never liked to hear. They had watched us go, hatred burning in their eyes and I had told myself that I had never been more satisfied.

But, it was different now and seeing her here after all these years…

"Tayuya." Hideki breathed and looked like he was seeing a ghost.

She smirked and folded her arms across her chest, seeming satisfied.

"Wh-what are you doing here?!" Kyoske squeaked, his teeth clenched.

Tayuya threw her head back and cackled, making my skin crawl. I glared up at her in response and when she was done laughing, she looked right at me.

"I already told you that." Tayuya said. "Geez, after all this time I wouldn't have thought that I'd have to _spell_ it out for you."

"What do you want?" I shouted. "Why are you hear?!"

Her small smirk turned cruel at the edges and she looked at all of us before pointing toward the stadium. Slowly, our gazes followed the length of her arm just in time to watch the Hokage's box go up in smoke. My stomach sank as another explosion shot out from the side of the stadium, making the wall crumble, debris shooting out.

"No!" Megumi-sensei growled.

"I'm here to watch this pitiful village burn." Tayuya smiled.

"Why you little!" Kyoske pulled out a kunai and shot it toward Tayuya who blocked it with ease and then fired off a kunai of her own, on that she had concealed in her dress. She fired it toward me and I didn't even flinch as it sliced across my cheek, not even giving her the satisfaction. She had never been good with Genjutsu and while her kunai had been good, her clone was not.

"Where's your real body?" I spat as I felt the blood begin to drip from my fresh wound.

Tayuya's smile turned darker. "I don't know. Why don't you come and find me?"

Another explosion rumbled from within the arena and we all looked up at Megumi-sensei who was looking a little pale.

"She works for Orochimaru." Hideki breathed. "And there's more of them."

"The Hokage…" Megumi-sensei growled.

"Sensei, what do we do?" Kyoske asked.

That was when I saw them, coming through as quick as a speeding bullet. First, Gaara and then Sasuke. I was about to shout out to both of them when sand shuriken came out of nowhere. We scrambled and looked up only to find Temari, Kankuro and Baki standing on top of a building.

"What are you going?!" Megumi shouted up at them. "The Third Hokage is being attacked back there and you idiots are here?!"

"Sensei…" Hideki mumbled, his voice low.

Temari smirked. "We're operating on different orders now."

I looked up to see other Sand shinobi jumping from building to building but behind them were other shinobi in camouflage attire with musical notes on their forehead protectors. They ran side by side, shoulder to shoulder, their focus set on the stadium.

"Diff—" Megumi-sensei seemed both disgusted and confused all at once and she took a step back until she saw what was holding our attention. Immediately, she put two and two together and she looked at Baki, not bothering to censor her disappointment.

"How could you?" She spat.

Baki shook his head. "Orochimaru gave us a promise."

"At what cost!?" Megumi-sensei shouted.

"No cost." Baki said. "Not on our part."

"How do you know that?!" Kyoske shouted.

"Shut up, Kyoske." Kankuro growled.

"It's about time a more capable power became top dog, don't you think Megumi?" Baki asked.

"You're allies!" Megumi-sensei growled.

"It's not too late." Baki called. "You can join us. It shouldn't be too hard for your students considering they were once with Orochimaru as well. It's going to be a new world soon, Megumi. I'd get on board before it's too late."

Megumi-sensei was trembling with rage as she glared up at Baki and I swore I had never seen her eyes harness such hatred before. She was so mad, her face was flushed.

"I'd rather die." She managed through tight lips twisted up with disgust.

Baki chuckled. "I was counting on that." He turned toward Temari and Kankuro who were getting ready to fight us. "No, you two continue on after Gaara, you know what to do."

"Right." Kankuro said and they were off.

"No!" I shouted.

"Miyuki." Hideki said, a hand coming down gently on my wrist. "You go after Sasuke. And we'll stay with sensei."

"No." Megumi-sensei growled, her eyes never leaving Baki face. "I'll handle Baki. Kyoske and Hideki you protect the Hokage."

The boys nodded and I didn't wait as I darted off after the Sand Genin. My heart was pounding in my chest and even though my stomach was turning itself into tight knots, nothing beat the way my anger coursed through my veins, making a vein in my forehead pulse. I was furious at the Sand, allies of the Great Leaf nation and now what was left of it? They had betrayed them and for what? The empty promises of an equally empty man? Who knew what Orochimaru had done behind their backs and who knew what Gaara and the others planned on doing to Sasuke. They'd capture him for sure or worse when it came to Gaara.

I was at the village gates, empty from all protection as Sound and Sand shinobi ran in, slaying any Leaf shinobi they came into contact with. It was a blood bath but I could see the Leaf fighting back in small areas. Women and children fleeing behind buildings, the men sealing up homes quickly before running for cover. The village was evacuating and it would only be a matter of minutes until it would all be clear, until no civilian was left behind and the real fighting could begin.

I pulled out a kunai and fought with a few Sound shinobi, even kicking back a few Sand shinobi as well. I dispatched a few and was almost near the front entrance when a shadow came out of nowhere and before I had a chance to defend myself, something was pushed into my chest. I gasped, my eyes going wide as the sheer force of whatever pierced through me sent me back and I landed, hard, on the ground.

I blinked up at the clear blue sky, feeling a bit dazed before something stepped into my view and I looked over at it as the shadow of whatever had stabbed me loomed. The figure beside me reached down and pulled the piece out of me and my eyes widened as I realized the object was sharp and was as white as Jiraiya's hair. But then, there was something off about it. Not exactly a blade, but something more, the side a little curved. I followed the length of the weapon, now dripping me with my blood and coughed up blood when I caught sight of who was on the other end.

"K…Kimi…Kimimaro."


	30. Chapter 30: The Fight Continues!

**Chapter 30: The Fight Continues!**

"I figured we could spare a few moments to chat."

I was seeing double, my head was reeling and I had a sour taste in my mouth, bile mixed with sharp iron. But, I could feel something wound tightly around my body, and the more I struggled the more whatever bound me cut into my skin.

I slowly lifted my head, struggling to make sense of the dizzy world before me until I found him, standing right in front of me, his vibrant green eyes cutting into my skull and if anything appearing brighter than I last remembered.

Kimimaro, his skin so pale, it was almost translucent. He wore robes similar to the ones Tayuya had been wearing except his pants were looser and his shirt was lavender. His gray hair was still up to his shoulders and he had two sections bound with red a hair-tie. He stared down at me, his expression plain and almost bored.

I groaned in response, rolling my head back and I realized from the sharp foresty smell filling my nostrils suddenly that that's exactly where we were and I was tied to a tree with the translucent wire.

"How have you been, Miyuki?" Kimimaro asked, bending down before pushing back onto his haunches. "Because I've heard you've been doing well."

"Bite me." I breathed. I needed to escape, needed to get to Sasuke. I didn't have time for Kimimaro of all people. I remembered that he had been extremely sick the last time I had seen him. I had even been forced to care for him. There had been one point in time where I had enjoyed his company but then my memories melded together and all I could remember vividly was the sharp disgust and annoyance in the task.

Kimimaro shook his head and reached out, cupping my jaw between his fingertips, holding my head steady.

"Let's not be rude, Miyuki." He said. "Now answer the question."

I fought the urge to spit at him and knew my flesh wound would be much worse if I did. I swallowed back what felt like a small bit of blood and gritted my teeth at him.

"Fine." I managed.

"That's good." He said a moment later, his eyes observing every angle on my face. "Aren't you going to ask how I'm doing?"

I didn't hold it back then, I spit at him and took great pleasure in the starkness of my blood against his skin. He didn't even flinch. He continued to stare at me and my blood-spit landed right on his cheek. He didn't even wipe it, but I heard the sound of his skin pulling back, and imagined a piece of his bone slipping out. Not even a moment after, I caught sight of the sharp piece and watched in mute horror as he brought it down right on the palm of my hand.

I screamed out in pain before he clasped a hand down over my mouth and shoved my head back, right into the tree. My head felt like it was rolling around more than before. It was a fierce, hot pain that shot through my entire body, but mainly radiated through my now wounded palm.

"That's the second time you've made me hurt you." Kimimaro said, his hand still pressed against my mouth. "Now, let's carry on with our conversation."

Tears lit my eyes and he pushed his hand away from my mouth. I coughed up more blood, my tears spilling out from the sides and Kimimaro reached out, tenderly, to wipe at my stray tears before sitting back and staring at me, expectantly.

"H-how are you?" I managed.

"Fine." He said, which only made me burn even more. In the distance I heard screams and looked only to see a snake rising from the roof of the stadium, slender and slick. Orochimaru. I felt him then, his presence somewhere in the village and I wondered how the others were doing.

"Miyuki." He turned my focus back to him and I glared at him.

"What?"

"Aren't you going to ask what I'm doing here?" He asked.

"What are you doing here?"

"You're not going to guess?"

"You're here with him." I growled and to my surprise, Kimimaro shook his head.

"Then what are you doing here?" I asked, annoyed.

"Here to watch the fireworks." Kimimaro said. "I'm too ill to fight."

"I doubt that."

He shrugged and stood up, taking a few steps to the side as his gaze falling somewhere between the trees, probably to marvel at whatever the Leaf was becoming. His emerald eyes were ablaze, the only thing on my him not all sluggish.

"I wasn't part of this mission." Kimimaro said.

"Here to see if your dogs are doing well?" I growled.

"Tayuya's in charge now." Kimimaro said, glancing down at me. "How do you think she'll do as acting leader?"

"I'm surprised the team hasn't burned."

He looked away, back toward the village. "I heard you've become quite friendly with that Uchiha. Lord Orochimaru thinks highly of it."

"I'm sure it's a good two for one with him." I spat.

Kimimaro shrugged and walked over to the nearest tree, bracing himself against it, his eyes still trained forward.

"Remember when we were younger, Miyuki?" He asked. "Children playing together?"

"I try not to think about it." I grumbled as I fidgeted under my confines. I needed to reach the stashed blade I always carried in my boot and as I wiggled my foot closer, my good hand stretching against the binds, Kimimaro turned around at the last second, just as my finger had reached inside my sandal.

He stared down at me and I felt sweat begin to gather on my brow. Slowly, he walked toward me and bent down again, one of his hands reaching out and capturing my kneecap. I swallowed, but a lump had formed. It was the worst feeling, the heat of his palm on my knee.

"You're going to make me kill you, Miyuki."

I tried to swallow again, but it proved even harder to do under his severe gaze. I didn't want to dare him because he was just the type to do it. He lived to please Orochimaru and though he wasn't part of the invasion, I wasn't sure what orders he had been given or what agenda he was following. He reached over, his free hand caressing my arm before sliding down to the wires. I felt them loosen and seconds later, I was free, but his other hand was still on my knee.

"Let me go." I breathed. I struggled to keep my eyes even.

"What does he mean to you?" Kimimaro asked.

"Wha—"

"What do _they_ mean to you?" Kimimaro asked. "What if I killed all three of them? That obnoxious blonde, the Sand demon and the last member of the Uchiha's? Would you cry, Miyuki? Would you cry like you did before?"

I couldn't breathe, only stare at him. I refused to show that he had gotten to me and yet, it was proving to be impossible.

"Wh-why are you really here?" I asked.

His grip on my knee tightened. "I already told you."

He pushed himself up to his feet, his eyes never leaving mine. "I came to watch the fireworks."

With that, he was gone and I was alone in the small clearing, my heart slamming in my chest, my body trembling and the edges of my vision turning black. I pushed myself, knowing that they were out there somewhere, Gaara and Sasuke. I managed to rip off a part of my shirt and bound it tightly around my wounded hand. I wasn't sure how long I had been out for initially and though it had felt like just a few minutes, with the way the sun was in the sky, it had been a few hours.

I shot forward, knowing that I was in no condition to do so, but determined to try. I couldn't let them fight each other. I couldn't let them hurt each other and the fact that Kimimaro knew about Naruto proved that he was in the middle of it all too. I landed before an explosion of dust and smoke rose a few yards away from me. I gasped just as a blast of hot air slammed into me, throwing me back against a tree. I groaned and coughed, looking up just in time to see a dark shadow moving above. My eyes widened.

"The perfect possession." I breathed the moment I made out golden eyes in between the dust. I spotted them all then, Temari on a high branch watching the horrors below unfold. Sakura held in place by one of the sand demon's hands, twitching every now and then as it pressed into her. There was a small Leaf dog beside Sasuke who was shaking, his cursed mark on his skin. Then there was Naruto, his body thrown onto another tree branch, his eyes wide as he looked up at the shadow.

"Gaara!" I shouted, making everyone flinch. "Stop it!"

"M-Miyuki?" Temari breathed, her eyes wide and slightly terrified as she took me in.

Sasuke's eyes widened too and Naruto slowly turned to face me as did Gaara's demon form.

"That's enough!" I continued. "It's over!"

"Don't tell me what to do!" Gaara shouted and sent a pillar of sand in my direction.

"Miyuki!" Sasuke shouted.

I was getting ready to jump up and dodge when everything in front of me turned a little blurry. I knew I could jump, but there was no way I'd be able to make it out of the way in time. Dodging was not an option and if I even tried it, I'd be sure to fall to my death, bashing my head against the side of a tree on the way down.

"This is the end for you!" Gaara shouted.

The pillar was getting closer and closer and I held my breath just as Naruto's voice cut out from across the clearing.

"SUMMONING JUTSU!"

He was about to be buried in the Gaara's sand when suddenly something exploded from within, the sand scattering out into the wind, the dust cloud from inside growing bigger and bigger. An orange frog jumped out of nowhere and managed to push me out of the way just in time, but once the pillar was near me, the sand crumpled, falling onto my legs.

"What's up pops!" The orange frog greeted, waving a webbed limb.

I stared at it in awe. A talking frog of all things and I looked back over at Naruto who stood towering over all of us on the head of a rusty red toad with a scar on its left eye and a pipe poking out of its mouth.

"Hey kid! Kid! Hold on!" The orange toad beside me said, one of its webbed hands coming down on the side of my face.

"Miyuki!" Temari shouted. "Miyuki!"

I coughed again, more blood coming and the pain in my chest increased. I was sure Kimimaro had stabbed a piece of my lung in the process and knew that even though I could survive with only one, the pain didn't help me think so. I was fading out, barely able to hold on much longer and I knew it would only be a matter of time until it all faded to black.

"We're losing her!" The orange toad called.

I made out the small paws of the dog shinobi jumping onto my branch and felt his small paw pressing into the side of my head.

"Badly wounded. We need to get her back to the village immediately." The dog confirmed.

"Miyuki! Miyuki! Hold on! Hold on!" Naruto called out to me just as I faded out.

…

I woke in Sasuke's lap, one of his hands in my hair, supporting my head while the other was in a tight fist at his side. I shifted and he stopped me, his eyes dark as he glanced down at me as movement from my right caught my eye.

"Couldn't let you die on me." Temari said. "Stay down."

"Wh-what's going on?" I coughed as Sasuke helped me to a sitting position, letting my head rest on his shoulder. Behind us lied an unconscious Sakura, her body trembling slightly. The dog was beside Sasuke, his eyes trained below and I followed his gaze only to find Gaara and Naruto on the forest floor, blood at the center of their foreheads.

"N-Naruto!" I coughed, leaning forward and almost slipping if Sasuke hadn't caught me in time.

"Easy." The dog said beside me as Temari jumped down toward Gaara, tears in her eyes.

I pushed away from Sasuke even if I was weak and jumped down to Naruto's side. I was in no condition to fight still and though I felt a little better, it was only slightly and I still felt dizzy. But, I wasn't going to have Temari or Gaara think that they could take him on alone. I planted myself behind Naruto and was about to place a hand on his head when one of his eyes snapped open. He had rolled onto his stomach and was looking at Gaara and Gaara returned the favor, their eyes cutting into each other.

"Naruto." I breathed.

"Miyuki." Naruto panted. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." I said.

"How's Sakura?" Naruto asked.

I glanced back up into the trees only to find Sakura awake, rubbing the back of her head as she smiled up at an annoyed Sasuke.

"She's good."

"That's great." Naruto breathed.

"Miyuki." Gaara called to me weakly. I looked over at him, and watched as Temari pulled him up into a sitting position, pulling one of his arms around her neck and holding him close. Concern lit her eyes as she looked him over and I could only imagine how she felt. I knew she hated seeing Gaara consumed by his monster and while sometimes she'd be able to calm him down, most of the time she'd just be in the way, an annoying fly in Gaara's eyes.

"I hope you're both happy!" I called to them. "I hope you found some sort of fulfillment!"

"I regret patching you up!" Temari growled.

"Naruto…" Gaara coughed. "You were a worthy opponent."

I froze and Temari's eyes widened.

"You've taught me the importance of friendship." Gaara continued. "And I thank you Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto continued to pant beside me just as Kankuro jumped down on Gaara's other side, taking his free arm and wrapping it around his neck. At the same time, the dog, Sasuke and Sakura jumped down to our side.

"We're sorry for the trouble we've caused." Gaara panted. "One day…one day I hope we can look past this."

I wanted to tell him that I didn't see how but I realized it wasn't my place. Konoha wasn't my village to speak for. Also, the words were coming from Gaara's mouth, out from his tired and worn down face. He was paler than usual, sweat dripping down the side of his face. Kind words, words that despite everything it really looked like he meant. I wasn't sure if the Sand could be welcomed back with open arms, but I could see it being that way over time.

"One day." Naruto said before his eye closed and his breathing stilling.

"Naruto!" I said, placing a hand on his back.

"Let him rest." Temari said, her grip around Gaara tightening. "Let them both rest."


	31. Chapter31:A Powerful Shinobi! Third For!

**Chapter 31: A Powerful Shinobi! Third Hokage Forever!**

It was raining, but not a pounding, relentless rain. Instead it was gentle and even the stormy gray clouds above seemed gentle as they floated past. Konoha was grieving the day after the attack and the weather matched their grief as everyone gathered at the Third Hokage's gravesite to drop lilies.

We watched from atop a building, the rain making our hair stick to our faces, a somber silence between us all as we watched a line form as one by one people lowered lilies onto the Hokage's coffin.

"Who do you think the next Hokage is gonna be?" Kyoske asked and I elbowed him right in the ribs which made him cough.

"Wha-what was that for?!" He asked.

"It's too early for talk like that!" I spat.

"It will probably be Jiraiya." Hideki said and I swung around to shoot him a look.

"Probably." Megumi-sensei said, running a hand through her hair.

Silence fell between us then and I looked back down at the funeral procession at small Kono crying his eyes out beside Naruto whose head hung low as he watched. Orochimaru had impersonated the Sand's Kage and ended up killing him. It had been a hard fight and Megumi-sensei had arrived a little too late to do any good. She had a good counterattack against the Sound Four, but it wasn't enough and in the end, the Hokage had accepted death and tried to take Orochimaru with him. But, even that had failed but he did manage to take away Orochimaru's arms which meant he could no longer form hand signs perform any jutsu. The Sound Four had disappeared along with whatever remained of the Sound ninja and the Sand ninja fled with Baki after they stumbled upon the corpse of their leader. They were disgraced but the Leaf focused on burying their beloved Kage first.

"Orochimaru might have fled, but we have sufficient evidence to bring back to our village." Megumi-sensei said. "Information that Akane won't receive until much later on."

"What happens next, then?" Kyoske asked.

Megumi-sensei stared on at the procession, not even blinking as she looked down at us. "We wait and see."

"We're still leaving." I said, unable to form a question and not even bothering to hide my disappointment. After our fight with Gaara I hadn't even looked Sasuke's way. So much had been going on, so much concern not just for Naruto but for my team. Even when we had reunited and confirmed that we were all okay, there was the Hokage business.

"Yes." Megumi-sensei said.

"Will we ever come back?" I asked right after and I wasn't surprised when my question was met with silence. We stayed until after the ceremony was over and we jumped down to street level. We didn't even bother giving the burial site another glance and as everyone began filing out, we turned and headed down the street, our heads low.

It felt like a failure and maybe on some level it was. Our mission was to stop Orochimaru but everywhere we turned something else had popped up. So much had gone on, so much that we could barely grasp at and everything that felt like a lead was actually nothing, just another obstacle to climb over.

As for Sasuke, he was neither an obstacle or a treat at the end of the tunnel. The focus away from him, the sudden life or death that had happened with Kimimaro reminded me that before Konoha, he had been nothing more than a distant legend to me. Sure, I still cared for him, but that was really it and that was all it would ever be. If we had never come to Konoha, maybe the same things would have happened, but the fact that we had barely made a dent in any of it proved that we weren't needed, that our being here did nothing. It was painful to leave, but I thought suddenly that maybe, maybe…maybe he was better off without me after all.

"Megumi."

We froze and slowly turned around only to see Team 7 walking toward us. It was Kakashi who had spoken and he stood beside his students, his eyes heavy.

"Miyuki! Where are you going?" Naruto asked, his blue eyes wide with innocence.

"Oh hey, Naruto." I managed, forcing a smile.

"You guys all have your bags with you…" Sakura said, her eyes sad as she stepped closer. "Are you going somewhere?"

"We're heading home." Kyoske said.

"We're not needed here anymore." Hideki added.

"Needed?" Sakura asked.

"Our mission is over." Megumi-sensei said.

"Mission?" Kakashi asked, his eyes widening slightly before turning cold. "I should've known."

"It wasn't like that, Kakashi." Megumi-sensei said.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "What mission?" He growled, his eyes harder than usual as they glared at me.

I pressed my lips into a tight line.

"We were tasked to stop Orochimaru by all means necessary." Megumi-sensei said.

"Some luck you had." Sasuke grunted.

"Sasuke!" Sakura gasped, turning to shoot him a look.

"It's alright." Megumi-sensei said with a shrug. "He has a point."

"We tried our best." Kyoske said.

"And we're sorry for your lo—"

"Whatever." Sasuke grumbled, cutting me off before giving me his back as he started walking away. My eyes widened and I told myself the distant ache that shot across my heart was nothing.

"Such a treat…that boy." Megumi-sensei mumbled.

"When will you be back?" Naruto asked, his hands balled into tight fists at his sides. He was looking right at me, not even giving me anytime to fully react to Sasuke's rudeness which, maybe was a good thing.

"Who knows?" I said with a shrug. "But I'm sure the next time we meet Naruto, you'll be even stronger."

"Or more annoying, whichever comes first." Kyoske added.

"We have to go and report back to our village all that happened here." Megumi said.

"And you have to leave _now_?" Kakashi asked and there was something shimmering in his eyes as he looked at our sensei, a plea or something. I wanted to arch an eyebrow, but kept it down. It didn't matter now.

Megumi-sensei smiled and nodded. "Best of luck."

Silence as a passing breeze came and as the rain stopped. We all looked up as the heavy, gray clouds broke apart and a stream of sunlight shot through. Moments later the entire sky cleared up and there was sunlight all around, along with a crystal blue sky.

"Leaving so soon?" A voice called from above. We all looked up only to find Jiraiya, his arms crossed and a satisfied smirk on his lips.

"It's about time I left, old man." Megumi-sensei called back.

"Who you calling old?" Jiraiya snapped.

"Pervy Sage!" Naruto called, which made a vein pulse on the Sanin's forehead.

"I told you not to call me that kid!" He snapped.

"Ugh! So much noise!" Kurenai sighed as she walked beside the small Leaf group. The other Rookie 9 followed, their expressions curious as they looked my team over.

"Miyuki?! You're leaving already?!" Tenten asked.

"It's about time." Neji grumbled.

"Thanks…Neji." Kyoske sighed.

"Do me a favor when you get back will ya?" Jiraiya called out to us.

Megumi-sensei looked up at him and arched an eyebrow.

"Send Akane my regards." Jiraiya said with a wink.

"After all this time Jiraiya, the answer is still a resounding no." Megumi-sensei said. "But I'll be sure to let my mother know how desperate you've become."

We all laughed then while Jiraiya threw a fit above. It might not have been perfect, but it was an ending nonetheless and I could feel the beginning of something even greater working in the distance. Konoha hadn't seen the last of us and I had a feeling that it wouldn't be long until we saw our friends again and temporary was always better than never.

…

Akane hadn't bothered to ask us about the mission when we walked into her office. She had merely nodded at our entrance and slid a thick mission briefing in our direction. Megumi-sensei grabbed the folder, holding it between her hands before turning and sliding it into Hideki's hands. She stayed behind while the rest of us shuffled out and we didn't say a word about it, but instead opened up the file folder and looked down at the mission summary.

"The Daimyō wants us to go back and investigate the Akatsuki." I mumbled, not even bothering to look it over again.

"How many times are they gonna have us run into those guys?" Kyoske growled.

"But now we're the ones being summoned to do it. It's even labelled differently." Hideki said. "Different level."

"S-Rank, so what?" Kyoske spat. "Big deal."

"He expects us to end it." I mumbled, folding my arms.

"No, not end it." Hideki said, reading over the more detailed briefing. "He wants us to bring Karin back."

I stiffened. That hadn't been in the summary. It had literally been a whole bunch of empty words that came down to the simple fact that the Daimyō wanted us to investigate the Akatsuki, find out how many members it housed, where the hideouts were, etc. But Karin? Of all of them, why her?

"When do we leave?" Kyoske asked.

"In a few days." Hideki said. "Once Miyuki gets better and it seems that Megumi-sensei won't be joining us."

"What will she be doing then?" Kyoske spat. "Great! She gets a vacation and the rest of us have to do all the dirty work."

"Why Karin?" I asked, forcing both boys to glance at me.

Hideki shrugged. "It doesn't say."

"We bring her in. That's simple enough."

"We're bringing her to the Daimyō." Hideki said. "That's a longer journey."

"Even better." Kyoske growled dryly.

I folded my arms, getting back to business, to what should have been the root of our problems. I was a little bothered that Akane was conversing with Megumi-sensei and not us. How did Megumi-sensei know to explain the Sound Four? What about Kimimaro? With the five of them roaming around, none of it could be good.

"Doesn't any of this bother you guys? Doesn't it feel like we need to just stop and think?" I asked.

They both looked at me.

"Tayuya and Kimimaro are back. Kimimaro is the one who tortured me back in Konoha and we're about to get ready to go on this mission to capture Karin. What's more important?"

Kyoske blinked at me and Hideki cleared his throat, closing the file in his hands.

"Of course they're important. I'd much rather chase after Orochimaru all day long and not stop until he was buried deep in the ground and even then I wouldn't be satisfied." Hideki said, making my body tense up. "But we can't and complaining about it doesn't help. They're back, big deal. They're not our mission and therefore not our focus."

"Plus if they even come our way, we'll break their teeth in!" Kyoske said. "Especially after what that bastard did to you."

I nodded slowly, feeling foolish. They were right. What was wrong with me? Who was I becoming? My own agenda? Who did I think I was? I forced a nod, pressing my lips together to keep from crying. We had our mission, we knew our goal and I was hung up on Kimimaro and everyone else, letting this need inside of me, this dark rage at everything, get the better of me. It was such a Kyoske thing to do, or was it worse than that?

"Now, what do we know about Karin?" Hideki asked.

"She's annoying." Kyoske said quickly.

"She's strong." I said. "Those metal poles of hers are used to channel her chakra, helps her let out just the right amount."

"So without them, is she weaker?" Hideki asked.

I furrowed my brow, thinking back. "She's still skilled in Taijutsu. Not the greatest, but enough to defend or hold off until more help arrives."

"Those poles are endless." Kyoske said. "It has to be a summoning of some kind that she uses."

"But she seems to really hate you, Miyuki." Hideki said.

I laughed dryly. "Wow…thanks."

"No, it's true." Hideki said. "If we get her riled up enough we can catch her."

"But what if she's not alone?" Kyoske asked.

"We put her before all else." Hideki said. "We're alone for a reason."

He had a point there. It was just the three of us, just like it had been in the past. We were capable of watching each other and only each other and not even that at times either. There was no baggage, no dead weight. We would go all or nothing, put everything on the line to complete our mission just like we always did.

"Kisame is mine, though." Kyoske said.

"I'll handle Itachi." Hideki said. "Since you're her favorite, you can take Karin."

"Such an honor." I groaned.

We chuckled lightly, almost politely before it settled into silence. Kyoske leaned against the wall as our gazes fell in different directions and as he slid to the floor, Hideki spoke.

"Do you think the Leaf and Sand can be allies once again?" He asked.

I glanced at him, thinking back to not just the showdown between Naruto and Gaara but the Hokage's death and our parting with the Leaf. Sasuke's coldness, an even darker darkness lurking in his eyes. I had told myself not to worry, that there were bigger things to worry about but I couldn't help but feel if possibly, maybe, I was wrong.

"Do you think Gaara…could actually be nice?" Kyoske asked. "Do you think Naruto…that little squirt…actually changed him?"

I smiled. "They're a lot alike. I'd say it's not impossible."

"Despite his idiocy, Naruto is a decent shinobi I suppose. To be able to fight against Neji Hyuga and win that first round and then to take on Gaara, Jiraiya must have taught him a handful." Hideki said.

Kyoske and I nodded.

"I suppose so." Kyoske said.


	32. Chapter 32:Confront! Akatsuki vsWater!

**Chapter 32: Confrontation! Akatsuki vs. Water!**

"No eyes, over."

Kyoske's voice was shrill over the walkie and it made me flinch while Hideki groaned.

"Kyoske, for the _last_ time, be serious." Hideki grumbled.

"You didn't say over, over." Kyoske said a moment later which only made me want to somehow travel through the walkie just to choke him.

" _Kyoske_!" I growled.

"Okay, okay." Kyoske sighed.

Our journey to the Akatsuki had led us to The Land of Rivers, which was a rather sleepy and small village near the Sand Village and also happened to be a good distance from our own village. All it really did was solidify just how long we would have to travel back with Karin and the only way to make it through sane we all agreed was to have her unconscious through all of it.

Now we were at one of their hideouts, which was quite literally a hole in the wall of sorts. No front door, no seals for miles which meant that it was newly constructed and it certainly looked it. The surrounding area was relatively untouched and it was miles away from the main village. It was clearly nothing more than a resting place for them.

"Do you see anything?" Kyoske asked. "I'm getting a little bored with all this people watching."

Nothing had happened in the past half an hour and it took everything in me to keep from saying that we didn't need a reminder. I swallowed it, focusing instead on the hideout and my surroundings, listening for anything out of the ordinary. The hideout was our only lead, the only piece of solid information other than the identities of the members we had encountered. It had filled us with some sort of certainty, that we would find something or someone out here in the middle of nowhere but so far, it was proving to be a resounding nothing.

"It doesn't make any sense." Hideki said. "Nothing. Not one thing."

I closed my eyes and envisioned the Byakugan. I focused my chakra to one of my eyes and when I opened one, the Byakugan activated and I could see through the stone walls of the hideout. But, there was no one inside, no one lying in wait, just an empty hideout.

I sighed when suddenly I felt something behind me and I swung around, drawing a kunai and steadying myself to strike. Except, nothing was there. I stared out into an equally empty forest, with nothing but empty branches, and scurrying forest creatures running and flying around. Nothing out of the ordinary and certainly not anything that could hurt me.

I was turning back to the hideout when something white shot up from the ground and I gasped as a face shot out from the white mass. Well, half of it was white and the other was black. One was an actual face while the other had a yellow eye and the faint lining of a nose and a mouth.

"What are you doing?" The creature asked.

I screamed and fell back, but managed to catch myself before I completely face planted onto the ground. I dug my kunai into the side of a tree and managed to slow myself down just enough to jump to another branch.

The body above was like a Venus flytrap of sorts and the more their body rose up from the branch, the more menacing the plant with jagged teeth surrounding their body looked. They had green, moss-like colored hair, but it looked darker on the black side compared to the white side. It was wearing the same kimono as the other Akatsuki members, except it's plant-like top-half stretched out the collar even more. It stood fully on the branch and I realized with slight horror that it had to have some sort of merging nature technique that gave it that ability to appear from the very edge of a thin tree branch.

"You scared her." A deeper voice from within the creature growled and I shivered. No mouth had moved at all and yet, a voice had spoken, clear as day.

"I didn't mean to." The white part said. "I was just wondering why she was hanging up in this tree."

I pulled a kunai out of my pocket and gripped it in my hand. I wasn't sure what this creature was, but I wasn't about to let it get away. It was clearly an Akatsuki member.

"Who are you?!" I demanded, my voice shaking slightly. I wasn't usually scared, but there was just something about this creature, about the way one of its eyes seemed dead and the other seedy.

"That's our line." The white part said.

I threw the kunai and just as it was about to make contact, the flytrap snapped shut, my kunai ricocheted off of the hard shell. My eyes widened as the deep voice chuckled and I realized that it was emanating from the dark side.

"Miyuki? Are you alright?" Kyoske's asked. I reached up and was about to take off my headset when the black side followed my hand and extended a hand, which made me freeze.

That was when I caught a quick glance of it, a white bubble growing on my sleeve and by the time I looked down at it, the small bubble had grown several sizes bigger and was making its way around my body, constricting me. I gasped and struggled, but the struggling made it worse somehow, which only aggravated me. A head popped out from the white mass and I gasped as I made out the white part except this one had matching white hair.

"There's no escaping now." The head said, a hand snaking under my hair and yanking at my headset. It popped right out and the hand held it up so that the other body could see.

"I pulled it out." The white part said and glanced toward the dark side.

"About time." The black side grumbled.

I groaned in response, struggling against the hold, but quickly finding it pointless. The more I struggled, the tighter the hold became. But, I wasn't done yet.

I flicked my wrist and soon the white mass surrounding me began to shake before snakes broke through, a whole swarm of snapping, hissing snakes that thrashed around, breaking the white mass to nothingness within minutes before they turned on the creature before me, all of them darting forward. A few smashed into the branch the creature was standing on and it jumped back, swatting a few other snakes away but more came. They grappled until the creature jumped onto the other side of the clearing and merged against a tree trunk before the snakes could grab at it.

I took a breath, retracting the snakes back up my sleeve and eyed my surroundings, looking for it again. Whatever it was, it was able to make its chakra undetectable and already I could feel how big of a pain that was.

"That was fun." The white part's voice drifted from above and I looked up, gritting my teeth. It was sitting on the branches above me, looking down, the white part wearing a sarcastic smile while the black side merely stared at me.

I started making hand signs, not even waiting.

"Fire style! Fireball Jutsu!" I sent a fireball in their direction and watched as it rolled, singing everything in its path. It looked like a direct hit but when the attack lost its steam, they were still sitting in the exact same spot.

"I think she's trying to kill us." The white part said.

"Let her try." The black side grumbled.

"Where's Karin?" I shouted.

"Karin?" The white side asked, sounding surprised.

"Where is she?" I spat.

"She isn't here." The black side said.

"She made the boss angry." The white part said. "She's not one of us anymore."

I arched an eyebrow. Itachi kicked her out? I remembered how she had clung to him before, calling after him and always watching him. He never seemed to care much, but with as much as she clearly cared about him, for him to just kick her to the side…

I glanced down and made out a shifting in the bushes below. It wasn't long until Kyoske peeked out and I fought the urge to smile. Good, the boys were close and getting ready to strike. All I had to do was keep this creature busy a little bit longer and pray that it didn't sense the boys.

"What did she do?" I asked.

The white part was about to answer me when the black part cut it off.

"Classified." It growled and I balled my hands into tight fists at my sides.

"There's more of them running around." The white part said, it's eye moving around the forest. It was then that the boys chose to strike and Kyoske shot out first, drawing his sword as he got closer. The creature turned to face him but as it did that, Hideki shot out from above and was making hand signs, a water jutsu.

"Water Style! Raging Waves!"

The attack was heading right for the creature but instead of moving, it waited until the last second. Right before Kyoske was about to strike and right before Hideki's attack was set to hit, the creature split in two, the white part and black part diving in different directions, completely missing both attacks. The black part landed a few feet below while the white part jumped a branches above, merging half of its body into the tree, it's eye wide and looking like it was ready to flee.

"It split in two!" Kyoske gasped.

The split sides were missing arms and legs but I watched as the limbs formed with ease and as the black body rose to its feet, the white one remained half submerged into the tree branch.

"It can regenerate too." Hideki said.

"What are you idiots doing?"

I swung around to face the new voice and found Karin standing at the forest floor, her hands on her hips, her eyes narrow as they looked between all of us.

"Karin!" The white body shouted. "These shinobi are after you! Run away!"

"Let them come then." Karin huffed. "I'm not afraid of a bunch of spoiled brats."

"What a miracle you're not licking your wounds." I called out to her, earning a dark look in the process.

"Excuse me?" She hissed.

"Heard your boyfriend kicked you out." I said.

She arched an eyebrow and looked at the white and black bodies before looking back at me. Except, when she looked back at me, she was biting back a smile.

" _Boyfriend_?" She asked.

"Now she wants to play dumb." Kyoske said, wiping his mouth.

"Allow us to remind you then." Hideki said. "Water Style! Raging Waves!"

He fired his attack at Karin who dodged it easily but I ran right after and tackled her to the ground. Before the black body could turn to help, Kyoske was on him, tackling him into the tree he was standing on, but losing him as his body merged into the bark.

"No!" Karin grunted, kicking me back. "Zetsu, focus on those two idiots! This one is mine."

A fiery pain began in my shoulder and as much as I wanted to place a hand over it and try to squeeze the pain away, I had to keep moving. She went to kick me again, this time in my face and I caught her foot, pushing her back, but throwing myself off balance in the process. I fell back just as she caught herself from falling while the boys battled that creature above. But like me, they didn't seem to be making much of a dent.

"I wouldn't focus on them." Karin said and flicked her hand, a pipe shooting down. She swiped it at me and I dodged it but felt the rush of air blow past me. It slammed into the trees behind me and I heard it break clean through, the tree groaning as it began to fall over.

I jumped to the side, panting now as the ground rumbled beneath my feet. Karin smirked at me, flicking both of her wrists, two pipes shooting out from her sleeves.

"How does it feel?" I breathed, steadying myself.

She narrowed her eyes. "How does _what_ feel?"

I smirked at her. "Heard Itachi kicked you out."

"Kicked me out of what?" Karin growled, but before I could answer, she glanced at the creature in the trees, the one she had called Zetsu, and rolled her eyes.

"I was never part of that stupid group anyway." Karin said before running toward me.

It was hand to hand combat and I braced myself, pulling out a kunai and we went at it, our weapons clanging sharply against each other. It went on for a few minutes, but it was clear that we were equally matched and it was starting to get old. I pushed her back and made hand signs.

"Water Style! Syrup Trap!" I shot the sticky liquid forward as Karin was trying to regain her footing, except when my attack landed, she was unaffected and I knew that she had found the only hiccup in the attack by building chakra in her feet. She shot toward me again, but I was still prepared and as she brought her pole down to strike me, I dodged it with a water clone.

Her attack exploded and I watched from the bushes as it sent chunks of earth up into the air before letting it all rain back down. She stood in the center of it all, covered in dirt and panting heavily.

"Striking Shadow Snakes!" I shouted, extending both of my arms as thick, pythons shot out from my sleeves, their hissing and snapping mouths aimed right at Karin. A few wrapped tightly around her body, making her drop her poles and the others hovered around her head.

"Don't move." I said.

"Or what?" Karin growled, struggling against the impossible hold.

"I can crush every bone in your body with just one thought." I said. "So, I'd choose what I say and do wisely if I were you."

Karin smirked. "That the best threat you have?"

I glared at her which only made her laugh.

"You know, I have news for you too!" Karin laughed. "Except mine isn't a lie."

"I don't care." I growled, tightening my grip around her body.

She grunted, still managing to chuckle. "Actually, I think you will."

I tensed up, but told myself that whatever she had to tell me wasn't anything important. She was just talking to talk. Just trying to stall time. I had to end it all now, capture her so that we could flee.

"Itachi was in Konoha recently."

I stiffened, but she didn't catch it and if she did, she paid it no mind.

"And he ran into his baby brother." Karin said, her lips snaking into a smile.

Itachi had gone to Konoha? When? He had run into Sasuke? How? My mind raced and my heart was beating so quickly, so loudly, that I was sure she could hear it from where she stood, even over the sounds of the boys fighting above.

"They had a nice little reunion because the little brat bit off more than he could chew." Karin said. "But don't worry, Itachi set him down a few notches."

"What did you do to him?!" I spat, unable to control it. As big of a jerk as Sasuke had been, I didn't want him to be hurt. Just the thought made me sick and worried.

Karin's smile turned deadly. "Why don't you ask Itachi yourself?"

I felt a shiver snake down my spine as a gentle breeze flowed by. It was impossible that he was anywhere close by because I couldn't sense him, but if Karin was speaking the way she was, he had to be close enough to hear us.

"I'll stick to you." I grumbled.

"Wrong answer." Karin said and before I could respond, snakes shot out from the collar of her cloak and I gasped as they shot toward me, catching me before I could react. I was stunned, but managed to keep my own grip on her even as she ensnared me in hers.

"H-how…" I breathed, it was impossible really. A technique like that really only had one source and that was Orochimaru. I thought back to the first time I had encountered Karin outside of Orochimaru's alleged hideout and how she had reacted when I had tried to tie them both together. But, how else could she have learned such a technique?

Karin narrowed her eyes at me. "I should just kill you now."

"Where did you learn that?" I spat.

She arched an eyebrow.

"Where did you learn that technique from?" I said again, my voice firmer.

"Why bother asking questions you already know the answers too?" A deep voice called from above and I looked up only to find Itachi standing on a tree branch, his eyes holding the Sharingan. My heart sank in response and I stared up at him gawking.

"Let her be stupid." Karin grumbled.

"Itachi!" Zetsu shouted.

I glanced over at him and saw that Kyoske was on his knees, panting. Hideki was trapped in the same white mass I had been trapped in and he struggled against it with all his might, grunting.

"You trained with Orochimaru." I said, my voice shaky as I looked back at Karin. "That's the only way."

She said nothing, just continued to stare at me with an indifferent expression on her face. It bothered me, that look and I found that what I really wanted was to wipe it off of her face. The longer she stayed quiet, the more agitated I became and I had to chew the inside of my cheek to keep myself sane. But it hit me then, that sharp pull of familiarity that always burned between Karin and I. I could feel the dreams and memories bubbling to the surface. The girl with red eyes and her hateful stare. Her small body running out to the puddle of blood and guts strewn across the floor.

Karin's body burst into a flock of black crows and her jutsu exploded into a cloud of dust. I called back the snakes and jumped to higher ground just so that I could see better only to have her appearing a few feet away from me, a pole extended. I barely managed to dodge it in time and watched it slide past me, piercing straight through the tree bark. It was accompanied with the strong blast of wind that made the tree shake and others snap as the winds continued on, dying off somewhere deep in the forest.

It hit me then, like a rush. It was more than a dream. It was more than a shaky memory. I remembered the moment with the little boy and the red-eyed girl perfectly. It was real. I stared at Karin in a new light, feeling everything flood back to me all at once. Of course she had learned the technique because Orochimaru had taught her it before he had taught me. She had always been there, I realized. I had just never noticed her before because I had been so focused on Orochimaru.

"I know you." I breathed, my eyes wide.

Karin's eyes widened just a fraction of a second, but then settled back into their angry expression.

"Congratulations." She grunted before pushing away from me and steadying another pole.

The failed experiment. The one that Orochimaru had abandoned because he thought he had found something better. Jiraiya's words came back to me and my head was spinning as everything seemed to piece together. I wasn't sure where my memories of Karin ended, but I knew there was quite a chunk where she wasn't there at all and I remembered how that had made me feel, her not being there. It had been less of a competition.

"He abandoned you." I said. "That's why you hate him."

Her eyes narrowed in response.

"He abandoned you…left you…left you for dead."

"Shut up."

"He did, didn't he?" I asked.

"SHUT UP!" Karin said, charging for me with her pole raised.

I narrowed my eyes, knowing that now was the perfect opportunity to complete the mission. I made hand signs and instantly watched as the thick and heavy mist rolled in from the small pond a few yards away. Karin ignored it and instead focused on me and as she jumped up, ready to strike, I made more hand signs, building chakra around my body and when she was close enough I extended my palms toward her, the chakra surrounding my body turning electric as it shot forward.

"Karin!" Zetsu shouted.

Below, his loss of attention gave the boys just the time they needed. Kyoske moved first, kicking Zetsu back before Hideki performed the same technique on him, except he discharged his by extending his fingers.

Karin dropped, her body twitching and I was reaching down to throw her over my shoulder when I felt the heat of an incoming attack and looked up only to see a massive fireball heading in my direction. I grabbed her by the end of her collar and we dropped to the forest floor.

"Miyuki!" Kyoske called.

"I'm fine." I called back, pulling Karin''s twitching body closer to mine. I looked up only to see Itachi standing above, his eyes dark as they looked down at me. Hideki made hand signs and with the passing breeze and thick mist rolled in, giving us time to flee. I hoisted Karin onto my back and grunted because as light as she looked, she was a little heavy.

We ran for a few minutes, jumping from tree branch to tree branch and I would be lying if I didn't say that my heart was in my throat. I could feel Itachi behind us and knew that he wouldn't let us get too far. It wasn't long until I felt a familiar heat behind us and a quick glance back revealed a massive fireball tumbling toward us, seeming to grow bigger and bigger the closer it grew. It was impossible to dodge and pointless to summon a clone.

Hideki acted first, pulling Kyoske and I to the ground where the heat from the fireball was even worse. Kyoske was ready to protest when Hideki formed hand signs before slamming his hands onto the ground, his fingers digging into the earth.

"Earth Release! Rock Shield!" He pulled the ground beneath him up, revealing a huge slab of rock that rose up just in time to meet the full impact of the Itachi's massive fireball. The only issue was, as soon as it made contact, the rock began to crack, pieces of it falling off. A second later, it exploded, but we had braced ourselves beforehand. We went flying back in different directions and I felt Karin's body tumble out of my hands. I hit the ground hard, my head slamming against the earth and grunted. I started coughing from the thick smoke hanging in the air and struggled to see through it. I heard the sound of beating wings and looked up, making out a shadow through the heavy smoke.

"What did you do to Sasuke?" I breathed.

He said nothing and as the smoke slowly began to clear, I found that he was standing a few feet away, his Sharingan activated and his expression empty of all emotion.

"I think the better question is…what is he going to do to you?" Karin coughed.

I looked over and found that she had rolled a few feet away from me too and she was on her hands and knees coughing harshly onto the ground. She had recovered quicker than I had expected and it wasn't until I pushed myself up to my hands and feet that I realized that I was all alone with the two of them. I couldn't sense the boys anywhere but I knew that I didn't have time to try and feel them out further.

"I'm not afraid of him." I managed, surprising myself with how confident I sounded.

They both said nothing. Karin kept coughing while Itachi shifted in his spot, his eyes narrowing slightly. He moved first, his hands sliding out from his sleeves and forming quick hand signs.

"Water Style! Water Bomb Jutsu!" Itachi shouted before letting out a powerful stream of water from his mouth. I dodged it easily but not before a Shadow Clone of him appeared in front of me and delivered a powerful punch right into my stomach. I coughed, flying back and landing hard once again.

"Serves…you…right." Karin panted, wiping her mouth with her sleeve as Itachi's shadow clone landed beside her.

I glared at her, thinking back to Project Zero and all that Jiraiya had told me. If the other half was dead, I would be too and every time we had the great misfortune of running into each other, she'd come close to killing me but would never pull through. It made perfect sense.

"How'd you manage to stay alive?" I called out to her.

She arched an eyebrow before her eyes turned stormy.

"Back off!" She growled through gritted teeth.

"It's just a question." I managed before she threw herself at me. We were going at it again but she was even faster than before and managed to get a few hits in. Her last hit made me skid back and as I struggled to get a good footing, Itachi's clone came right after and he was even worse and at the last moment, his hand swiped past my head before he reached down and grabbed me by the back of my neck, holding me in place. I looked up without thinking and knew from the moment I made eye contact that I was trapped.

The setting changed completely. I wasn't in a forest anymore, I was in a desert with a blood red sky and black, inky clouds above. The ground was hard and the air was cold, enough to make me shiver.

"I needed to give us time to talk." Itachi said.

My body was numb and I could feel the feeling draining away from my feet. I was tipping over but instead managed to slip down to my knees. I glanced up and saw Itachi standing just a few steps away from me.

"About?" I panted.

"You know about Project Zero now?" Itachi asked.

"If I do?"

"It's about time." Itachi said and I looked up at him, at the stormy Sharingan in his eyes.

"She can't kill me because she'll die too?"

"Though I admit she's a bit reckless about it at times."

"How did she survive?"

"I helped her."

"And now she owes you."

"It's a bit more complicated than that."

"What did you do to Sasuke?"

He was silent at first, and I realized he was studying me. It made the hairs on my arms stand on edge and I bit my bottom lip, fearing the worst.

"I'm not here to talk about my brother." Itachi said.

I fought against the numbness in my body but it was getting harder. The more I struggled against it, the number I became.

"Then what do you want to talk about?" I growled.

"You don't look like them." Itachi said suddenly.

I grunted. "Look like who?"

"Your siblings."

A sharp pain shot across my chest as the memories fluttered in the back of my skull. The Obanji massacre. Our home in flames across the night sky. My siblings standing above me as the warmth of my blood flooded across my chest and pooled underneath me. Then there was little Sayuri, the look on her face, her blood splashing across my skin.

I shook it off, struggling to stay in whatever moment Itachi had captured me in.

"How do you know them?" I asked. A stupid question. A clan killer knowing another clan killer? It sounded like something that required a network of some kind. Regardless, I felt the familiar flick of rage flaring up inside of me at the thought of them. I had never thought of them much in the end. I knew they would always be one step ahead of me, so fighting them was out of the question. No amount of training could give me a better footing over them. It was the certainty of my failure that stopped me from really hating them, from even blaming them. I had spent many nights in the orphanage trying to figure out why they had done it but found that it was only a waste of time. They had always been a mystery to me, my older siblings, always to themselves.

"They wanted to join the Akatsuki." Itachi said.

My stomach tightened. Of course they had. "And you accepted them?"

"It's not my decision to make…but no we didn't."

"Why are you telling me this?" I snapped. "I don't care about them."

"Because they seem to care an awfully lot about you." Itachi said and what surprised me was how his voice made the blood in my veins run cold. My siblings asking for me? I wondered then if they had been surprised when I had survived their attack. I wondered what had kept them from coming and finishing me off. It was a lot like Sasuke wondering why he was the only one who had survived but at the same time we were on total opposite sides of the spectrum.

"I don't care." I said.

"No, you do." Itachi said. "You're like him that way. Maybe that's why you click so well."

I looked up at him then, heat rising to me cheeks but not before I felt a sharp pain dig its way into my shoulder. I gasped, tears welling up in my eyes. I looked down at my shoulder, my eyes widening when I realized it was a rusting, metal spike.

I cried out, feeling the fiery pain burning throughout my shoulder. I couldn't move my arm and I looked back at Itachi, a light sweat dotting my brow. It had gotten even darker in our desert surrounding and now his face was hidden, on his Sharingan was visible. I knew I was trapped in his Genjutsu and that somehow I had to snap out of it.

I just had to figure out how.


	33. Chapter 33:Psych Out! A Shinobi's Power!

**Chapter 33: Psych Out! A Shinobi's True Power Revealed!**

It wasn't real.

 _It wasn't real_.

I had to keep reminding myself that the pain flowing through my body was all in my head, a side effect of the Sharingan working it's powerful Genjutsu. But, what's more, I told myself that the images flowing through my head were just him digging through my mind, searching for the most painful of memories just so that they could make me weaker.

I told myself that the little girl standing before me wasn't real. The small girl with the long, unruly, black hair, her bangs in her face who stared up at with her big, glistening eyes. The one who beckoned me to chase after her, who extended a tiny hand, waiting for me to grab it. Her laugh, infectious and loud as it ricocheted through my head. My heart ached but it wasn't a physical pain. It was strictly emotional and that made it worse.

"So this…is your little sister." Itachi's voice broke through the memory and I shivered, my body trembling as a cold sweat came over my body. He appeared beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder, a touch she didn't seem to feel. She just continued to stare up at me with those eyes of her, a giggle on her lips.

"Pl…please." I breathed.

He turned her to the side, as if to get a better look at her before righting her, his hand lifting off of her shoulder. He took a few steps toward me and just as I was about to look up at him I felt a sharp, searing pain in my leg and looked down only to find another large spike buried deep within my leg muscle.

I cried out, tears gathering in my eyes. I knew it wasn't real but the pain felt so real. It made my head spin, my stomach turn, and my chest ache as I began hyperventilating. The memories came quicker, the night of my clan's massacre playing over, Itachi watching from the sidelines.

My body was sprawled out on the grassy field, my sister hovering over me, her dog-like smile pulling at the edges of her lips as she stared down at me. She had looked like a mad woman then, her hair all askew, her eyes wide, blood spotting her face. My brother just beside her, a dark smile on his lips as he drew his sword. Then there was the pain from the sword piercing my skin and I gasped, my eyes squeezing shut but the memory didn't stop. There I was, dying, their voices drifting off, my blood warm and yet cold as it pooled underneath me.

Next came memories with Orochimaru and all of his brutal trainings. Tayuya beating me to a pulp both on the field and behind closed doors. Kimimaro saying he would make things better only to beat me just as bad. But, it had all been a test to see how far I could get pushed and I had passed it when the experiments began. Suddenly, their hateful looks were hidden behind their fear and then there was no trace of it at all, nothing but fear in its purest form as they looked at me. I had felt pride then, an almost distant sense of satisfaction but there had been something else too, a dark voice at the back of my head and it was hungry. It was never enough. It always wanted more and Orochimaru fed it.

I gasped and suddenly, I was back in the red desert, one spike in my shoulder and the other in my thigh. The pain was unbearable but I stayed awake. Itachi hovered just beside me and I could feel his eyes burning holes into my skin.

"He bit off more than he could chew." Itachi said and I coughed up blood in response, watching as the crimson liquid looked almost black against the darkened rock floor.

"I wasn't in Konoha for him." Itachi continued. "But he insisted and I had to put him down, prove my point."

"Tch." I managed, lifting a few hand to wipe at my mouth.

"He learned his lesson."

"Sounds familiar." I managed, my hand hovering on the outside my mouth. There was only two ways out of a Genjutsu this strong. One was a teammates releasing you but I wasn't sure how far the boys were or if they were even coming. For all I knew, they could have been fighting Zetsu. The other was pain, real pain.

"How so?" I could practically see his eyes narrowing down at me and to prove a point, I looked up at him, meeting his Sharingan.

"Because you underestimated me." I said before sinking my teeth into my flesh, my blood pooling into my mouth. In the blink of an eye, I was back in my own world and the only pain that existed was a slight pain in my chest and the fiery pain in my hand.

Itachi stared down at me from atop a tree and I was careful to not meet his gaze just yet. I had released myself by inflicting pain and while I slightly regretted, despite times called for desperate measures. I licked at my wound while imagining the Sharingan in my head. Itachi's powerful Genjutsu tool, his eye a different kind of Sharingan. I let my Kekkei Genkai take over and I looked up to meet Itachi's gaze. We stared at each other, our stares even, neither one of us flinching. Karin watched in awe from the side and though I found her oddly quiet, I didn't hesitate to dig into Itachi's mind. He didn't stop me and I fell straight in, landing in what I thought was a random memory until I looked around.

There was a sharp, desperate scream and there was Itachi, younger, his head jerking toward the direction of the scream. He seemed hesitant and looked around, as if he was afraid of getting caught, and at the last second, when it looked like he wouldn't move, he did, running toward the scream. the memory moved with him and even though my feet were planted firmly on the ground, I moved with him, stopping when he did, in a dark clearing of sorts.

Three gangsters were in the clearing, snickering down at what looked down a young girl in rags. Her body was dirty and bruised and she seemed frantic, her head turning every which way as she stared up at the men. I felt my stomach tighten as Itachi's hands balled into tight fists at his sides. He glared at the men surrounding the girl and one step announced his arrival. He stepped onto a twig and the sound echoed. All three men turned to glare at him and I caught sight of the girl in the middle.

She was white in the face, her eyes wide and a little sunken in her skull. She was terrified and nothing but skin and bones. Her hair was dirty and in a desperate need of a trim and her clothes, were ripped and hanging off of her body. Her red eyes were sharp, her skin so pale it was almost translucent. I felt the shock wear into my features as the man charged toward Itachi and he took them on, besting them in a matter of minutes. The girl was even more fearful as the fighting began and ran to a nearby tree, throwing herself onto it before struggling to pull herself behind it.

Karin. It was Karin. Itachi watched her after the fight was done, sympathy working its way onto his face. He took a step forward and she cried out as if he had inflicted some sort of pain on her. He extended his hands and she screamed, her own hands shooting out to cover herself. I realized then just how terrible Karin was not just physically but psychologically. Itachi was so far from her, it was impossible to do any bodily harm but just the fact that he was approaching her was enough to make her lose it.

"It's alright." Itachi's voice was gentle as he stared toward and suddenly he was gone before appearing right in front of her. Her eyes widened as she stared up at him and I could see that she was blown away with how close he was, so blown away, she couldn't even form words.

"It's alright." He said and he lowered a hand that she quickly slapped away, as if it was infected.

"Don't…don't…" She whispered, her voice trembling.

That was when it ended and I snapped out of it, feeling sick to my stomach as I stumbled away. I was back in the present and I looked up at Itachi who was panting, a light sweat dotting his forehead.

"Itachi!" Karin shouted and jumped to his side, a hand coming down on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

I was panting too and Itachi's eyes were back to their regular Sharingan and I released the one I had copied from him, feeling the familiar sting burning its way into my eyes. I struggled to keep them open, fighting through the burning pain.

"You…" Itachi breathed.

"With as much as you know about me," I lifted a hand, pressing my palm against my right eye, where the pain was more intense. "You didn't know about my Kekkei Genkai."

"Shut up you little rat!" Karin fired.

I looked at her, the scared little girl that she used to be flashing in my head. It was Itachi's memories. I had seen right into his head and as a result he had underestimated just how precise my ability could be. Unless he had been testing me…unless he had wanted me to see it…

I shook my head, telling myself I was giving it all too much thought. It didn't change anything, the memory. I had to put the mission first and no sobbing young Karin was going to change that.

"Itachi…" Karin said, her head lowering closer to his ear, her hand on his back, and the other holding one of his hands. "Maybe we should go."

"You're not going anywhere." I spat and she turned to look at me, her eyes dark.

"You're not in the position to demand things." She fired back.

"I think the situation is reversed." I said, making her cheeks redden.

"You little…" Karin grumbled but Itachi grabbed her hand, stopping her.

"No." He managed.

"I'm taking one of you in." I said as I began making hand signs. "And I'm not going to stop until I get one of you."

Karin pulled her hand away from Itachi and jumped toward me. He called for her to stop but she pushed forward, nothing but hatred and determination in her eyes. She shook her wrists and down came two of her infamous poles. She raised them high as I started making hand signs.

"Earth Style! Rock Thorn Bed Jutsu!" I slammed my hands onto the ground and that was all it took before the ground began to first shake before several rock spikes rose. Karin met the spikes with the sheer force of the poles in her hands, but she wasn't able to catch all of them. She swiped at a couple but one of them sliced her in the leg and she grunted, falling. The other was coming right for her face, but suddenly Itachi appeared and pulled her back and the spike that was aimed at Karin's face, hit his shoulder instead.

Karin rolled before pushing herself up, her eyes wide as she stared at him.

"Itachi!" She screamed.

The spike protruded from Itachi's shoulder and just as I was about to say something snarky, his body exploded into a cloud of smoke and suddenly he was standing a few feet away from Karin.

"Substitution…" I growled between clenched teeth. From the smoke another Itachi clone shot toward me and I managed to block its incoming fist with my arm. From the trees another Itachi clone shot forward, this one gripping a kunai and I managed to pull a kunai from my weapons pouch just in time to block the hit. I dispelled the one that had come to me with his fists just as the other caught my wrist and I heard the familiar hissing sound of a paper bomb getting ready to explode. I looked down and caught it, just on the inside of his cloak and gasped just as it went off.

I went flying back, my body slamming against the trunk of a tree. I slid to the ground and coughed, my body trembling. I scolded myself for thinking that I had somehow bested the eldest Uchiha and told myself that I had to get up. Already I could see him walking toward me and my body tensed as I wondered just what he would do next. He didn't seem tired at all and his chakra levels were even, as if he hadn't wasted any at all.

He was getting closer when he stopped walking to have a coughing fit, one if his hands reaching up to grip his chest, the other to cover his mouth. I looked up at him, my teeth grinding together.

"Itachi!" Karim called out to him, worry knitting her brow together.

He looked a little paler and when he pulled his hand away, I swore I saw a thin string of blood follow. My eyes widened at this as I realized that Itachi Uchiha was sickly. He looked a little weaker now, his body trembling. Karin stumbled to her feet and raced to his side, nearly tripping over herself in the process.

"Itachi." Karin breathed, her hands reaching up to the sides of his face. "We need to leave right now."

She was worried about him, her voice pressing with urgency as if it was a life or death situation. I stared between the two of them, my mind racing. There had always been something there between the two of them, but the only question that remained was if they were acting on them. Itachi treated Karin like she was anyone but Karin was always around Itachi, always caring and protecting him almost. I realized then that Sasuke was the same way. On the outside, no one would be able to guess Sasuke and I were much of anything. He treated me just as coldly as he treated that Ino at times. Only behind closed doors did the truth came out and even then that was rare because he had to be pushed to that point. Itachi and Karin…Itachi and Karin…

Suddenly the image of Itachi reaching for her, nothing but sympathy and compassion on his face, rang through my head. He had cared for her back then, truly wanted to save her from those men and he had. It had hurt him to see her fear him, fear him, her savior. How many others had saved her before and abused her? How many others had she been relieved to see who had wronged her?

I shivered and looked away from the two of them, a deep and heavy pain forming in my chest. Itachi and Sasuke. They really were brothers in that sense. I couldn't tell if Itachi cared for Karin the way she cared for him the same way I couldn't tell if Sasuke felt the same way about me. We hadn't spoken much since I had ditched him for Jiraiya and our parting hadn't exactly been the greatest either. I felt a pang of jealousy at the mere thought that Itachi showed his affection for Karin more than Sasuke did.

"This was interesting." Itachi managed, snapping me out of my thoughts as my face reddened.

He was still weak and Karin was holding onto his arm, as if she was supporting him. She was glaring at me and was chewing on the inside of her cheek. I glared right back at the both of them in response, bracing myself for the worst. I had used a lot of chakra and my vision was blurry from my Kekkei Genkai. I had overstrained it and now, I wasn't sure if continuing was the best idea. Pushing myself could get something done, but there was no guarantee I'd be able to survive.

"I wish we could kill you." Karin growled.

"Karin." Itachi said.

My eyes narrowed, Jiraiya's words echoing in my head. "But you can't...because if I die, you die."

Karin's glare deepened as Itachi seemed a fraction more interested in our conversation.

"Who told you that?" Itachi asked. "I know it wasn't your beloved sensei."

I arched an eyebrow. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"It doesn't matter." Karin growled. "It took her long enough to figure that out so let's not bombard her with too much more."

I swallowed the protest building and settled for shooting her an even darker glare. My hatred for her was bubbling in my chest but I held it back.

"I'm not letting you leave." I said and pulled out a kunai holding it out with an offensive stance to prove my point and to see semi-threatening.

"You're in no shape to fight, Obanji." Itachi called out to me, straightening. "But I'd be lying if I didn't say that I enjoyed our fight. It was much better than the crackling light show my brother had."

My eyes widened just as my blurriness grew worse and everything seemed to melt together. I dropped my kunai and dropped to my knees, struggling to stay focused, struggling to push through my blurriness.

Crackling light show? I struggled to think back to all that he could have been talking about but the only thing that came to mind was the Chidori. The Chidori, the technique Kakashi had been teaching him how to use, the one that Sasuke had tried his hardest to perfect. It hadn't been enough to take on Itachi. I couldn't imagine how something like that could feel in Sasuke's eyes. All his effort, all his patience and strength had been pushed to its limits while he learned that technique and there he had probably been, confident that it would be able to do something, make his brother have some kind of reaction even but it hadn't. It hadn't done anything at all.

"You're the worst." I growled, my hands balling into tight fists. I raised my head, having to close one of my eyes because the pain was beginning to feel unbearable.

Itachi seemed unaffected by my words but Karin's glare deepened. She looked about ready to tell me off but Itachi stopped her by speaking first.

"That's not what you wanted to say." He said and I froze, wondering if he could read minds too. A lot of words had swirled in my head, most of them choice words, but I had decided against them because at the end of the day I was sure Itachi could fight and then there was Karin who was practically a ticking time bomb at this point. Two shinobi capable of fighting and I had only one good eye and barely that.

"But I'll accept it." Itachi added.

"Be honest with yourself, brat." Karin called out to me and my eye darted over to her.

"You were never going to be able to capture us." She called. "All you three did was waste time that you could've spent twiddling your thumbs."

It felt like a slap in the face and I was too stunned to respond because…because well, she had a point. In theory it had seemed easy. It was just the three of us, no one to watch out for, no need to hold back and a good portion of our fight had involved going back and forth with Zetsu and his weird jutsu. As strong as we were, it still wasn't enough to face these shinobi, all of them capable of probably so much more than they were showing and we could barely scratch the surface.

I realized then, my breath getting lost in my throat, that this was exactly how Sasuke felt. As strong as we thought we were, we were useless, serving as nothing more than punching bags.

"It's been nice, Obanji." Itachi called out to me. "I'll be sure to pass along your regards to your siblings"

I looked over at him but it was too late. Both of their bodies burst into a cloud of crows that circled the area before dispersing into the trees. I sucked in a stale breath as I stared at the branch they had been standing on, feeling resentment in my belly.

I seemed to be getting my butt handed to me an awful lot lately. I knew I wasn't becoming weaker but it was something else, something about me that hadn't been there before. Too much to think about? That was reasonable and slightly understandable. A lot had happened in the past few months, most of it out of my control, but none of it had ever bothered me before. I had spent hours thinking about my time with Orochimaru and if anything, these past few months had made it that much harder but even still….

Then there was what I was, Project Zero as a whole and the whole Karin mess. There was Megumi-sensei and her secrets and the boys with their obliviousness and at the same time my burning sense of curiosity, my quest for all the answers the universe had to offer. Now there was Itachi and my siblings and the memories of what they had done, tried to do to me and what they had done to Sayuri. The Sound Four invading Konoha, the Sand betraying, Kimimaro and then there was Sas-Sasuke…

My heart stung and I had to press a hand against my chest in an attempt to soothe it. _Sasuke_. With as much as I had gone through, hadn't he gone through more? Marked by Orochimaru, tempted now probably more than ever to go to him, and honestly, who knew what else? It also didn't help that all of his pain stemmed from the two of us meeting and I wondered if I had been the cause of it. I wondered if his life had become complicated because of me. It felt stupid to think and feel, but a part of me did. I had failed him and he was paying for it and I hadn't been there to make things better in the end either. If anything, I had made it worse.


	34. Chapter 34: Enter! Lady Tsunade!

**Chapter 34: Enter! Lady Tsunade!**

We added another failure to our list and we weren't looking forward to seeing the look on Akane's face when we returned with nothing but scratches on our skin, dirt on our clothes, and exasperated looks on our faces. But, the first thing we saw once our village came into view was Megumi-sensei standing on the docks, impatience wearing heavy on her face.

"There's been an incident in Konoha." She said once we got off our boat.

We stared at her, confused and honestly a little fearful. My heart was in my throat and even though I had a good idea what it was, the graveness in her voice didn't help. I hadn't been able to shake Karin's words, her implication that Sasuke was hurt. Itachi hadn't helped either and all I could imagine was that Sasuke was mortally wounded.

"What happened?" Kyoske asked.

"After we left, Akatsuki members visited Konoha and engaged with Kakashi and a few other Jonin near the village gates." Megumi-sensei said.

"They were after the Nine-Tails." Megumi-sensei said. "And they went after him until Jiraiya came to his defense."

"But they fled." I finished, earning a look from Megumi-sensei.

"What members?" Kyoske asked.

"Itachi and Kisame." Megumi-sensei said gravely.

Hideki shook his head. "Why are you telling us this?"

"I'm going to Konoha for a few days." Megumi-sensei said, her voice low. "Akane doesn't approve but..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes looked over us, seeming to search for something on the floor, something only she could see. "This is something that I need to do."

"Why?" Kyoske asked, more confused than ever. He looked over at Hideki and I as if for answers before looking back up at our sensei.

"What are we supposed to do in the meantime?" Hideki asked.

"I need you and Kyoske to prepare a briefing for the mission you've just completed and deliver it to Akane in the morning." Megumi-sensei said. "After that you boys can relax."

"Wha-what?" Kyoske looked over at me before looking at sensei again, his brow raised. "What about Miyuki?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Megumi-sensei said, her arms folding across her chest. "She's coming with me."

We left immediately. Sensei barely gave me enough time to shower and pack and before I knew it, we were back on the boat that the boys and I had arrived on. Megumi-sensei focused on the steering and while normally I would have volunteered for the task, it seemed to help her with whatever she was going through.

"You know you left them wondering, right?" I asked, breaking our silence.

She didn't answer at first. Didn't even recognize that I had spoken at all. She just kept rowing and put her whole body into it, her eyes hard.

"How bad are they?" I asked, hugging my knees to my chest.

She stopped rowing and I watched as the muscles in her back tensed. She didn't answer right away and I assumed it was because she was choosing her words wisely but her silence said enough.

"Weak." She managed and glanced back at me. "Kakashi's still unconscious."

"And Sasuke?" I asked, holding my breath.

She looked away. "The faster we get there the better."

"What happened?" I demanded, feeling myself already getting worked up.

"He tried to take on Itachi." Megumi-sensei said as she started rowing again. "It was a mistake and Naruto offered to help but he made it very clear that he wanted to take Itachi on all by himself."

"And?" I asked, finding it hard to swallow.

"It didn't end well." Megumi-sensei finished. "He's in a bad place right now."

"How did you find out?"

"How did you?"

"Itachi and Karin were nice enough to brag, mainly Karin."

Silence and sensei shifted as she began rowing harder.

"Jiraiya sent me a message." She said.

"You two are close suddenly?" I asked.

"It's complicated."

"Just like you and Kakashi?"

She glanced back at me. I didn't mean to sound spiteful or be spiteful for that matter but I knew that's how it had come out.

"That's complicated too." She managed, turning back toward the water.

I didn't know what to say but I knew that I had wanted her to say more. I licked my lips and looked away. We were silent for a few more moments after that until sensei broke it.

"How did the mission go?"

"It was a bust." I sighed.

She nodded.

"I figured it would be."

"Why let us accept it then?" I asked.

"To teach the Daimyō a lesson." Sensei said. "Just be grateful they didn't kill you."

I flinched at the word and looked up at her.

"Well, they can't." I said.

This made her stop rowing and she looked back at me, turning fully this time to shoot me a curious look.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

I looked at her for a moment, searching her eyes. She had no clue that I had heard her conversation a few weeks ago and Jiraiya hadn't told her about our conversation either. She was in the dark and I thought about holding it above her head, keeping my mouth shut until I had it all figured out myself. Until I realized there was nothing to figure out. Everything I knew was solid and in front of me. Project Zero had been Karin and I. Orochimaru had inserted the piece of Ten-tails chakra into us and trained us, thinking he could control us somehow but when he couldn't, he marked us except Karin grew worse. Beyond help, he had tossed her out and she had fled, barely holding onto life until she met up with Itachi but at that time she was broken and abused.

"I know what's inside of me." I said.

Her eyes widened.

"I heard everything that day." I hugged my knees closer.

She blinked at me.

"I know about the failed experiment and I know about Project Zero."

She was thinking this over, her tongue sliding over her teeth as she stared at me. Her expression was serious and I could feel it in the air as well. She was silent for a while and finally, she looked away, settling on something.

"I know who the failed experiment is too." I said.

She looked back at me.

"Who?" she asked finally.

"Karin." I said and looked away. "Jiraiya said that if I die, so does she and she…she means something to Itachi."

Megumi-sensei nodded. "I bet she does." She lowered herself down onto the seat in front of me.

"I wanted to tell you." She said, her tone changing.

"I almost killed you, right?" I asked. "That's what Jiraiya was saying in the end."

She looked at me before taking a deep breath and easing back.

"That's not the point." She said. "Jiraiya's an old man—"

"Sensei." I said, my tone surprisingly even. I had to give myself credit for keeping it together. I had imagined tears streaming down my face whenever I found the courage to pull the curtain back on my revelations. But I was keeping a stern front so far.

She blinked at me before running a hand through her hair.

"It doesn't matter, Miyuki." She said finally. "The past is in the past. We've all done things we're not proud of."

I wanted to tell her that me almost killing her didn't quite fit into that category, but I kept my mouth shut instead and focused on watching her as she stretched before pushing up to her feet and grabbing the paddle again. She began rowing almost immediately and my body jerked slightly as we started moving.

"Why was Akane not happy that you were leaving?" I asked a few moments later.

"Akane thinks she runs my life."

"Isn't she your mother?"

"Doesn't mean she knows what's best for me."

I didn't understand but something told me the whole situation was still a sore spot and pressing further wouldn't give me desirable results. So, I stayed quiet and remained quiet the rest of the way. To pass the time, I thought about Sasuke, imagining the fight between Itachi and him. I could almost hear Naruto trying to jump in, trying to offer some sort of hand as Sasuke snapped at him to stay out of it. I could hear Itachi's chuckle as he told his Sasuke that even after all these years, it still wasn't enough, that he still wasn't strong enough to accomplish his dream. It was heartbreaking to think about and I found by the end of it, I was basically chewing on the skin of my thumb, my nail gone.

We arrived in Konoha a few days later and we didn't waste time before rushing straight to the hospital. We split up, Megumi-sensei walking down a different hall with a nurse at her side and I watched her go before I followed my own nurse. The hospital was busy, doctors rushing from room to room but the wing that Sasuke was in was fairly quiet. My heart pounded in my chest and if the nurse noticed I was nervous, she didn't say anything. If anything, she seemed cheerful. We rounded a corner and she pointed to a room down the hall before turning to shoot me a kind smile.

"His room is right there." She said.

I managed a smile, my palms sweaty. What was I going to be walking into?

"He's fairly popular." The nurse continued, blushing slightly. "So many visits in the past few days."

I nodded, forcing a small laugh as she walked past me, disappearing around the corner we had come down. I looked back at the room, feeling a tightness in my chest. I started walking and it wasn't long until I started hearing voices, not a single voice from the room and my body tensed. Who was in there with him? Why did they sound so…hysterical?

I sucked in a shaky breath before turning inside the room and found Sakura sitting on Sasuke's bed, a hand on his arm, tears shining down her face. Sasuke looked down at her hand, his head low, his eyes heavy. He was a little pale too. He glanced up at the doorway and at first his eyes just moved right over me but then they darted right back and he stiffened under Sakura's touch. She stiffened too and swung to the doorway, her eyes wary until they landed on me.

"M-miyuki!" Sakura gasped, her hand sliding off Sasuke's arm as she stood up. She placed a hand on her chest, nothing but surprise working its way onto her features.

"Hi." I managed and looked down at Sasuke who had looked away from me and was now focused on his sheets.

"Wha-what are you doing here?" Sakura asked, taking a few steps toward me.

I caught sight of flowers at his bedside and instantly regretted not stopping for something.

"I came to visit." I said with a small smile. "I heard what happened."

At this, he glanced up at me and Sakura's expression softened as she nodded.

"Oh." She said and looked back at Sasuke.

"Is he alright?" I asked, stepping forward.

Sakura looked back at me and hesitated before nodding at me.

"He's just a little tired, that's all." Sakura smiled. "He must be hungry."

I nodded even though he didn't look very tired. If anything, he seemed depressed, his eyes hollow. I wanted to run up and hug him, and tell him that everything was going to be okay.

"I was just going to run down and get him some food." Sakura said, wiping stray tears from her eyes. "It's a good thing you got here when you did honestly."

I nodded and stepped aside as she walked past him. She shot me a small smile.

"I'll be right back." She said.

She left and I watched her walk down the hall, her footsteps fading before disappearing completely when she rounded the corner. I looked back at Sasuke, studying his expression as he studied the blanket.

"Hey, Sasuke." I managed, my voice low. I moved toward his bedside and eased down into the seat next to him.

He said nothing, just continued to stare down at his blankets.

"We came as soon as we heard." I said softly. "Megumi-sensei and I."

Nothing.

"I was worried about you." I said, feeling something wet forming near the edges of my eyes. "But you seem okay, not as bad as I thought you'd be."

Still nothing.

"Sasuke?" I asked. I reached up and was going to brush some of his hair away from his forehead. I was just inches away when his hand shot up and slapped my hand away. The sound resonated through the room and I stood, my hand on my lap, my eyes wide. Something in him had shifted suddenly and there was an aura that wasn't there before. Something dark, something hostile. He looked up at him and I saw it, pure hatred burning in his eyes. It wasn't aimed at me, but at everyone. My breathed hitched in my throat as I looked down at him, my pulse pounding. What had just happened? What's happening?

I blinked at him and waited until he looked away from me before I dared to breathe again. Something was off with him and it was scary. What was that malice in his eye about? I knew he had been through a lot but had it really been that bad? I looked away, hating myself for the last one. Now what was wrong with me? Was I serious? Of course it had been bad. I remembered how I had felt with Itachi digging through my head. It hadn't been very nice and comforting.

"I'm sorry." I said, feeling a pang of jealousy and then surprising myself with it at the same time. Sakura had touched his arm and he hadn't swatted her away like she was some disgusting bug.

He didn't say anything in response. He just went back to staring at his bedsheets, his body trembling slightly. I fought the urge to hug him again for fear of him completely rejecting me and throwing me off the chair. I felt stung and hurt and fought the childish urge to just burst into tears right on the spot.

"I don't know what I did to you." I sniffed. "But I'm sorry for whatever it is."

I sat up, not even looking back to see if I had his attention or not. I started for the door, telling myself it was better to wait for Sakura in the hall rather than sticking around for whatever twisted abuse he had lying in wait for me. If he wanted space, I could give him space.

I headed into the hall and pressed my back against the wall. I couldn't figure out what I had done wrong. Sure I hadn't told him about the mission but it wasn't like the mission had been that big of a deal. I remembered the kiss we had shared right outside of the stadium, the small smirk he had worn right before he went off with Kakashi. I lifted a hand to wipe at a stray tear before it could slide down my face.

I couldn't for the life of me figure out what I had done wrong and I was sure whatever it was, it didn't give him the right to treat me the way he was and had been ever since we had left.

"Miyuki?"

I looked up at found Sakura hovering by my side, a few snacks in her hands and in a small bag around her wrist. She blinked at me, her green eyes shining.

"Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine." I said, maybe a little too quickly. "He's in there. Hasn't moved."

I left down the hall then, not even hearing her if she called after me. I just wanted to get out of the hospital. I wanted to feel the sun on my skin, a gentle breeze rustle through my hair. I left the hospital and sat down on the steps outside, feeling just that as my head throbbed. It had been a long journey and I was sure what I needed now was a good night's rest.

"Miyuki? Miyuki! Hey!"

I looked up only to find Tenten running toward me. I smiled at her.

"Oh, hey."

"I didn't know you were back." Tenten smiled. "It's like you never left."

My smile tightened. "Yeah, Megumi-sensei said that Kakashi and Sasuke were badly wounded."

Tenten nodded, her eyes distant.

"How's Lee doing?" I asked.

Her smile faded. "He's…he's…he has high spirits."

I nodded, wondering just how bad he could be. I knew he had been badly injured and I regretted not visiting him at least once because I had been so focused on Sasuke. Gaara had really done a number on him.

"Lady Tsunade is here." Tenten said, easing down onto the spot beside me.

"Who's that?"

Her eyes widened, her expression changing. "You don't know her? You've never heard of her?"

I arched an eyebrow. "No, I haven't. Who is she?"

"Only the strongest kunoichi in the world." Tenten sighed pleasantly before tilting her head back toward the sky. "I saw her come in and head straight for the hospital. I mean she walked right past me and I couldn't believe it was really her. I couldn't even say anything. I bet she's here to take a look at Lee."

"To do what?" I asked.

"To heal him." Tenten said, glancing at me. "On top of being amazing, she's the greatest healer too."

I thought about all the potions that Akane mixed, fighting back the part of me that wanted to say Tsunade couldn't be as good as her. I looked away and nodded.

"Lee's that hurt, huh?"

Tenten nodded. "But he's still training in here. Can you believe it? He has a broken hand and leg and he crawls out of bed every day to do push-ups."

I fought back a laugh and instead coughed. "I can, actually."

Tenten giggled and hugged her knees to her chest. "I just want him to get better already and if anybody can do it, Tsunade can."

"Did you hear about Kakashi and Sasuke?" I asked.

Tenten nodded. "Rumors really. I knew they were unconscious though, trapped in some Genjutsu that was hard to release."

"Genjutsu?" I breathed.

Tenten nodded. "Pretty hardcore stuff. Genjutsu so powerful, not even ANBU could dispel. But, if the Third Hokage was around, he could've."

"But he's not." I said.

"That's why they called in Tsunade." Tenten smiled. "She can fix anything."

"You seem like her biggest fan or something."

This made her blush. "Yeah…I guess…something like that."

I nodded as silence fell between us.

"So…you and Sasuke, huh?" Tenten asked, a coy smile on her lips.

I flushed. "It's-it's not like that." I remembered wanting more though, at one point. Now, it just felt muddled beneath everything.

Tenten nodded, giggling. "Fair enough."

"Neji?" I asked.

She laughed out loud. "His eyes really opened when he fought Naruto."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean Naruto beat some sense into him." Tenten laughed and I joined in.

"He's different now. Better, really." Tenten said, her eyes soft. "He's even come with me to visit Lee a few times."

I nodded. "Improvement."  
Tenten nodded. We lapsed into silence once more, the two of us sitting shoulder to shoulder staring up at the clear blue sky above.

"Naruto taught Gaara a lesson too." I said suddenly.

"He seems to be doing that a lot lately." Tenten smiled. "He's not all bad. A little annoying…but he's good."

I smirked. "So's Kyoske."

She laughed again. "True."

I pushed myself off the step and looked down at her. "I should get going. It's getting late."

She blinked up at me. "You're not going to check in on Sasuke?"

"I already did…he's still knocked out."

Tenten nodded. "I guess Tsunade hasn't gotten to him yet. Don't worry though, she will. She's probably taking a hard look at Lee, which reminds me." She stood up and dusted her pants off. "I should go check up on him."

"Yeah who knows maybe you two will get to meet." I teased.

She blushed, her eyes twinkling like stars. "Omigosh! That would be great!"

"Just don't choke." I called after her, watching her run into the hospital after giving me a small wave.

"How was your visit?"

I swung around, my heart in my throat only to find Megumi-sensei leaning on the tree behind me.

"It-it was good." I swallowed. "How about you?"

"Fine." Megumi-sensei said, easing off the tree and walking toward me. "I got there as lady Tsunade was scolding Kakashi about being restless."

I nodded.

"I just came back for you actually. I figured we could check-in to a hotel so that you can rest."

"What are you going to do?" I asked.

"I'm going to buy Kakashi a few snacks and come back here for a little bit. He's been out for a week and I'm sure once he really wakes he'll be hungry." Megumi-sensei said with a light smile. Again, I was struck with a sharp pang of jealousy. There was sensei being all kind generous to Kakashi. I was supposed to be bringing snacks to Sasuke, waiting by his bedside, the two of us talking and laughing together. But, now I was going to a lonely hotel room with nothing to look forward to but leaving.

"Oh." I managed.

Megumi-sensei shrugged. "I owe it to him."

I knew it wasn't that but I didn't want my jealousy to show so I kept quiet and looked away.

"Oh Shizune! What did we get ourselves into?" A busty woman with long blonde hair stepped out of the hospital and if I didn't know any better she sounded slightly annoyed. But, she was stunning with the smoothest skin I had ever seen and what looked like a green diamond at the center of her forehead. Her brown eyes looked tired and she was glancing at a woman beside her of average height and a slender build. The other woman had black hair with black eyes and she giggled at the blonde woman's words.

"Oh Lady Tsunade." The woman giggled. She sounded as if she was scolding a child and as the blonde smiled, she turned forward and caught sight of Megumi-sensei and I.

"Megumi?" The woman said, putting a hand on her hip. "You're still hanging around here?"

Megumi-sensei smiled and it seemed genuine. I stared between her and this Tsunade woman, still blown away by her beauty as she approached us. She looked down at me.

"Oh hello, who do we have here?" She asked, a small smile spreading across her lips.

Megumi-sensei snaked an arm around my shoulders. "This is one of my students, Miyuki."

Tsunade nodded. "Nice to meet you."

I nodded. "Y-you too."

"This is my apprentice, Shizune." Tsunade said, placing a hand on the black haired woman's shoulders.

Shizune smiled. "It's so nice to meet you."

"Thank you for helping them." Megumi-sensei said to Tsunade.

Tsunade smiled. "They were nothing."

"What about Lee?" I piped up, feeling the grip on my shoulders tighten.

Tsunade looked down at me and something on her face changed just slightly as she regarded me. I swallowed, not liking the change in atmosphere.

"Lee is…" She seemed to search for the word and glanced at Shizune who seemed more interested in something on her feet. Tsunade looked back at me before looking at Megumi-sensei.

"Is he going to be alright?" I asked.

"You can tell her." Megumi-sensei said, her smile turning nervous at the edges.

Tsunade didn't seem to believe this but when she looked down at me, she sighed.

"Lee is a special case."

"Special case? What does that mean?" I asked, looking around.

"Kid…" Tsunade looked away, running a hand through her hair before exhaling another breath. "I'm not a miracle worker and that's exactly what Lee needs."

My eyes widened. "Wh-what?"

"He was hurt pretty badly." Shizune said. "There's only so much that we can do for him."

"Is he-is he dying or something?" I asked, my stomach tightening. All he really had was a few broken bones according to Tenten. But now it seemed even worse.

Tsunade shook her head, her expression serious as she looked back at me. "No, but his career as a shinobi could potentially be over."

I didn't know what to say.

"It's a 50-50 chance." Tsunade said. "And with as much as I enjoy gambling, those odds are never good."


	35. Chapter 35: A Dinner To Cry For!

**Chapter 35: A Dinner To Cry For!**

"Surprise!" Sakura chimed, throwing her arms in the air as soon as Sasuke rounded the corner to his apartment.

He stood there with a grinning and sweaty Naruto at his side. Poor kid looked like he had tried to his best to stall Sasuke on the way back from their training and I was sure Sasuke hadn't made it easy. Sasuke didn't seem the least bit surprised so much as he seemed annoyed. He blinked between Sakura and I but settled with a hardened glare a few moments later.

"What do you want?"

I envisioned his words were more for me but I was happy that he addressed everyone as a whole. He started toward his apartment, fishing his keys out of his pockets.

"Sakura thought it would be a good idea since you've been out of the hospital for a few days that we celebrate." Naruto explained.

"Not in the mood." Sasuke grumbled, opening his door before pushing it open.

"We figured that." Sakura smiled nervously before pulling out the bag she had been hiding behind her back. "So, we ordered takeout."

Sasuke eyed the bag in her hands and scoffed, turning the light on as he stepped inside. He shot me a glance but it was fleeting and I wasn't sure what his eyes held.

It had been a few days since he had been discharged and I had steered clear of him, visiting Lee with Neji and Tenten instead. As a result, I had bumped into Sakura a few times and she had updated me. She had been planning the takeout thing for a few days and had selected a random day. But it all felt like it was for nothing since Sasuke didn't seem very interested and I fought the part of me that said he would've enjoyed it somehow if I hadn't been there.

"You must be hungry after all that training." Sakura said and she stood hesitant in his doorway. She wanted to be invited in but Sasuke had his back to us and seemed more interested in rolling the knot out of his shoulder. Naruto watched, studying Sasuke and he seemed like it was only a matter of moments until he exploded.

I grabbed the bag from Sakura and stepped inside, heading straight for the kitchen. I remembered our times in the apartment and pushed past the stuffy feeling building in my chest. This wasn't the time to get emotional, not when I had his attention and he was watching me dig through his cabinets for plates and utensils.

I gathered everything and brought it over to the small kitchen island.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked, sounding upset.

I ignored him. "You weren't in a hurry to set anything up, so I'm doing it for you."

"I said I wasn't in the mood." Sasuke snapped.

I turned back and glared at him. "And I don't remember caring."

He didn't like that one and his eyes widened but he didn't say anything else. I smiled at Naruto and Sakura, motioning them forward and Naruto who had looked ready to come to my honor merely smiled, walking in first. Sakura shot me a nervous smile and walked inside after, closing the door behind her. We talked and ate, well Naruto and Sakura did most of the talking, while Sasuke sat in front of his plate of food, seeming to get angrier and angrier by the second but he wasn't making any effort to say anything and I was happy ignoring him.

"So you learned a lot from Jiraiya, huh?" I asked Naruto.

Naruto nodded eagerly. "Yeah, Pervy Sage is an alright kind of guy."

Sakura shook his head. "Calling a legendary Sanin by that name."

Naruto shrugged. "Not my fault he'd be training me for a split second and looking at girls the next."

"With as consistent as that sounds, I'm surprised you learned anything at all." I laughed.

Naruto nodded. "That's what I tell him all the time! Believe it!" He finished the food on his plate. "But he still has a lot to teach me, plus I learned a really neat technique while we were looking for Granny Tsunade."

"Granny?" Sakura balked. "Tsunade is so young, Naruto. Have some respect."

"Young?" Naruto chuckled. "She's as old as Pervy Sage!"

I arched an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Naruto blinked at me, his laughter deepening. "She's a Sanin just like old man Jiraiya."

"Sa-sanin?" I gasped and I thought back, feeling the blood drain from my face. The other teammate, the woman with the impossible strength…it was her. It had been her. Orochimaru's final teammate, here in Konoha.

"Yeah, you didn't know?" Naruto asked, blinking.

"Sanin, huh? Jiraiya's a Sanin too, right?" Sakura asked before taking a bite of her soba noodles.

"That's not all." Naruto said, reaching for some teriyaki chicken. "They know who the next Hokage is going to be."

"Who?" Sakura asked.

"Granny Tsunade." Naruto said between bites.

I nodded, not sure how I felt about the news, not that I needed an opinion. This was a Leaf thing, not a Water. Sasuke didn't seem to care and Sakura nodded eagerly, seeming pleased.

"That's really cool." She smiled.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, it is. Kono wasn't too happy about it. I spent the whole day trying to calm him down, but he got over it."

"The Third was his grandfather, right?" I asked.

Naruto nodded. "They were super close even though it never looked like it."

Sakura nodded solemnly. "Is it happening too fast, this announcement?"

"What do you mean?" Naruto blinked at her.

Sakura looked at him before letting her eyes trail over to the rest of us. "I mean, the Hokage just passed and now we're getting ready for a new one."

"That's how it works." Sasuke grumbled.

Sakura nodded. "I suppose. I mean, I'm not complaining. I think she's a great choice…I just…I don't know…"

She was bashful now and reached for a napkin to wipe at her mouth.

"No I get it." Naruto cut in immediately and something told me that he didn't, not really anyway. But, he would do anything for Sakura and he most certainly didn't want her to feel left out.

Sakura nodded at him before glancing at the clock at Sasuke's bedside. "It's getting pretty late, isn't it?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, it is." Naruto said.

"I'll clean up." I offered, gathering everyone's plates.

Sasuke watched me and even when I headed to the sink, his eyes never left me.

"I'll walk you home, Sakura." Naruto grinned.

"It's not that late." Sakura grumbled before turning toward Sasuke. "Sasuke, do you need anything else?"

"Just get out." Sasuke grumbled, pushing himself up from the table. I glanced over my shoulder to see how his harsh words had affected everyone and Naruto was glaring at him while Sakura seemed sad.

"Stop being such a jerk to the girls." Naruto growled.

"I didn't ask for you to come over." Sasuke growled. "But I'm asking you to leave and you're all still here."

"Sasuke!" Naruto growled, taking a step forward until Sakura reached out and caught his arm.

"It's alright, Naruto." Sakura said, forcing a smile onto her lips. "We should just get going."

They headed for the door and Sakura shot me a look.

"Are you coming, Miyuki?" She asked.

I smiled as I dried the dishes. "I'll be leaving after I put all this away."

She nodded. "We'll see you tomorrow then." She looked at Naruto who was still glaring at Sasuke. But, Sasuke didn't seem to notice and was more focused on whatever lied beyond his sliding doors to his balcony.

"Naruto, you still up for walking me home?" Sakura called.

Naruto almost broke his neck turning back toward Sakura and I swore the smile on his lips couldn't get bigger.

"Y-yeah!" He chimed and Sakura smiled.

"Alright, let's go."

They were gone a few moments later and I was sliding the dishes back into place in Sasuke's cabinets just as Naruto's voice was beginning to fade. With a sigh, I stepped back, giving a cursory look at the kitchen. It was just as it had been before, as if no one had used it or been in it for that matter since the day it was first rented.

I turned only to find Sasuke sitting on the edge of his bed, his hands folded over his mouth, his eyes dark.

I grabbed the garbage, not wanting to dump it all in his small trashcan and headed for the door.

"Have a good night." I called as I reached for the knob.

"Why?"

I froze. His voice had been low, so low that I had sworn that he hadn't spoken at all. I looked back at him, still stunned but wanting to see it myself. He hadn't moved and the reason he had sounded so muffled was because his hand had been there.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

He looked at me, his eyes hard. "Why are you back here?"

I blinked at him. "I told you already."

"No." His eyes growing a shade harsher. "Why are you really here?"

"Sasuke I—" I stopped myself and looked away. So that was what it was about. He was being rude to me because he didn't trust my intentions.

"I need to focus on my training." Sasuke said, looking away from me. "I couldn't beat him because of it."

"Then train." I said with a shrug. "Train till you drop."

He glared at me. "Don't forget that you don't get to be upset with me."

I gawked at him. "Wh-what? _I_ don't have the right?" I pointed at myself for emphasis. "Are you-are you serious right now? Sasuke, I did nothing to you."

"You did nothing?"

"So, I didn't tell you about Orochimaru. Big deal, it wasn't like it was a big thing. I get it okay, you have trust issues."

"Yeah, well you were planning on leaving weren't you?" Sasuke spat.

I froze, my eyes widening.

"You just wanted to leave." Sasuke growled. "You didn't say anything and then I find out it was because of a mission."

"Sasuke—"

"No." Sasuke growled, stepping toward me. "He said I was still weak."

"Sasuke—"

"After all that time that I spent training it still wasn't enough. Do you know how that feels?"

"Ye-yes I—"

"No, you don't." Sasuke growled. "I wanted to be left alone but you barged inside like you owned the place."

Tears were stinging in my eyes and I didn't want to cry. I didn't want him to know that he had struck something in my heart.

"Get out." Sasuke said, his voice low as he reached for the doorknob. He opened it and waited for me to slip through the crack, but my feet stood rooted to the ground as I sniffed, struggling to keep it together.

"You're not even gonna let me tell you my side of the story?"

"I don't care for it."

I swallowed, a lump instantly making it difficult.

"I don't know how many times I have to say that I'm sorry."

"Start by stopping." Sasuke growled. "I've heard it enough from you."

"You're a real jerk, you know that?"

"I've been told."

I didn't know what to say much less do. It was much deeper than I had thought originally and I agreed, he had every right to be upset but to react the way he had…

"I never wanted to leave." I managed. "I wanted to stay and say goodbye but we didn't have time."

"Miyuki—"

"Don't you think that after everything we've been through and everything we've done that I never thought for one second how messed up it all was? I wanted to say bye to you. I wanted to stay with you."

"Miyuki—"

"I'm so-I'm so—" I looked away, my tears beginning to fall. "I'm so sorry that he hurt you."

He said nothing. He just stared over me, his expression impassive.

"But I don't deserve to be treated the way you treat me."

He glanced down at me.

"I don't deserve to get pushed away every time you're going through something. All I ever want to do is make things better for you. I just want to help you."

His jaw tightened and I pushed the door shut before glaring up at him.

"You keep me at a distance always and I've told you everything about me. I've opened my heart for you and you've never done that for me, not once, not ever." I spat before pushing him back.

"I would never hurt you." I said. "Not on purpose but you walk around as if I would and that hurts me."

He was speechless but his eyes and expression were still dark. I ran a shaky hand through my hair, not even bothering to wipe at my tears because they felt endless. There was a hole in my chest, an ache from our whole argument. His feelings felt like nothing compared to mine.

"I came all the way down here for you." I said and sucked in a breath. "I fought Itachi and he told me that he had hurt you and I didn't know what to say or do. All I wanted to do was to run and see you. All I wanted to do was to run and make sure you were okay."

His eyes widened. "You saw Itachi?"

"Yes!" I shouted, wiping at my damp cheeks before sniffing. "But it doesn't matter."

He looked at me.

"You want to be left alone to wallow and be sad and angry, well go ahead." I said. "I see you for what you really are now and I regret coming here for you."

I pulled the door open and stepped outside, shutting it back in his face before bolting down toward the street. I was anxious, my body trembling, my tears not stopping. I just wanted things to go back to how they had been before everything. Before Konoha. Before Zabuza. Before Sasuke. There was no doubt that we would have crossed paths eventually, but at least it wouldn't have been the way we had.

I had cared so much and for what? It had always been one-sided. Just me by myself trying to console the inconsolable. He was a jerk who only thought of himself, who got close and pushed me away, hard into a wall. He didn't recognize what I had been willing to give him and he had lost it just like that. He claimed he was weaker because of me but he had had a role in it too. He was the one who had stayed with me for days not getting up to train, hadn't he? Or had I imagined it all?

"Wait."

I didn't listen, I kept walking and if anything, I picked up my speed.

"I said wait."

"Screw you." I growled, keeping my pace.

A hand came down on my wrist and I fought back, pulling a kunai from my weapons pouch and turning to strike. He caught my other hand and threw me back against the wall of a building. I gasped, struggling, my arms crossed over my chest, his grip hard.

"Just hold on a second." He grunted.

"I don't want to hear anything you have to say." I growled.

"Yeah well, you can still spare a minute or two." Sasuke grunted again. "You've spent the past few minutes yelling at me."

I glared up at him. "You haven't even begun to see me yell at you."

"I bet." Sasuke grunted before pushing away from me. I stabbed my kunai against the wall and it caught, hanging off while my hand rested on the handle.

"What do you want? You hear to rip me to pieces again?" I spat.

"No."

"Then what do you want from me?" I snapped.

"I spent all this time wanting one thing and one thing only." Sasuke said and the tone in his voice made me tense up a little bit.

"Revenge." Sasuke said. "I wanted to kill the man who single-handedly murdered my entire clan. I thought I had him right where I wanted him. I thought that I could do it and he…he…"

He looked away, up the street, before looking back down at me. "He won, like I was nothing all over again. All this time, all these years building up my hatred for him only for him to tell me that I didn't hate him enough."

"But then you came." Sasuke said and I felt my tense shoulders relax as I blinked up at him.

"And I've never been more confused because for the first time, there's a possibility that there's something else, something more that I could want and I don't understand how because I've only ever wanted one thing." Sasuke's hands tightened into fists at his sides. "It was all I could think about, this new thing and I wasn't sure how to treat it, how to take it."

"There were days when I was all for it, days where I could see me getting the best of both worlds, but he proved to me that it's not possible. I can only focus on one thing at a time and now I have to put all my energy, all my time, into getting stronger and stronger so that I can end him."

I hugged myself.

"But then you come around…you always come around…" He stepped beside me and slid back against the wall. "I never know what to do with that."

"Sasuke…" I breathed, looking at him and watching his mind race. He seemed a little pained and I knew that after tonight, after everything, I shouldn't have felt bad for him. I had every right to be upset, but he was right there, right in my heart, dead center and it hurt me to see him in pain, to see him so lost and confused.

"I don't know what to do." Sasuke said, sliding down to the ground, bending his knees so that his arms dangled by his elbows on them.

I looked down at him and took a small breath before sliding down beside him. I looked down at the arm Sakura had been holding that day, no longer feeling jealousy but knowing that somehow she had sensed something in him. She couldn't put a finger on it, but she just knew that the Sasuke she had now was not the same one she had had before. I reached over for his hand and held it between mine, massaging his fingers as I looked at him.

"It's okay." I said and reached up to run my fingers through his hair.

He glanced at me.

"It's going to be okay." I continued. "We'll figure it out…we'll figure it out together."

He looked at me, his eyes searching mine before he nodded.

I wasn't happy with our ending, but I couldn't leave him that way. I couldn't stand or leave him there, so vulnerable it would break anyone's heart. It went back to all he had gone through growing up, all the damage that had been done to him.

"I saw him kill them." Sasuke swallowed, before closing his eyes.

"What?"

"I saw Itachi kill my parents…over and over again…" Sasuke grumbled. "On an endless loop."

"Sasuke…" I said, speechless. His Genjutsu, the same one he had used on me to dig through my head.

"I need to end him." Sasuke breathed.

"I know." I said, knowing it was more complicated than that.

"I want him to feel the same pain he caused me."

I thought about Karin, the concern lighting through his eyes as he had looked down at her. But, I couldn't tell him about her. He'd kill her for sure and what would happen to me? I had no choice but to do the one thing that didn't involve anymore words. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him close, my head resting over his as I hugged him tight.

I decided then that I would help him. Somehow, I'd help him get stronger. I'd help him accomplish his dream. Itachi Uchiha needed to die regardless, I realized. It was just long overdue and who better to do it than Sasuke? I was either going to help Sasuke get the final blow or I was going to be sure to do it myself.


	36. Chapter 36: Tsunade's Secret Mission

**Chapter 36: Tsunade's Secret Mission: Enter the Sand!**

"This seriously blows." Kyoske groaned and I couldn't help but agree with him.

A lot had happened in the past two weeks and I was still reeling from all of it. First, there was Sasuke and our new and improved relationship. In a lot of ways, he was still the same Sasuke, still cold and blunt and annoyed and stern, but in a lot more ways, he was warmer toward us. Though, it had been about a week since we had seen each other. He was off on a mission, something about protecting candidates in a race. He had seemed bored with the mission and while I knew he could handle it, knew that he had come far in his recovery, I still didn't like that he was so far from me. We had spent a lot of time together post argument and I felt as if something new had blossomed between us as a result.

But, he was gone and I had to somehow figure out how to sleep at night without the feeling of him lying beside me. But, there was something even more than that, something I had realized when he had walked out of the door that day. I remembered the morning clearly because we had spent a good portion of it rolling around in his bed before he got up to make breakfast as I watched from his bed wrapped in one of his t-shirts.

 _"_ _Do you really have to go?" I asked, gripping the bottom of my shirt as I watched him stuff a few clean clothes into his bag._

 _Sasuke looked up at me, his expression even. He stopped packing, his hands holding a shirt and his eyes studied mine. I could feel the heat rising up to my cheeks, a reaction I was beginning to have whenever he looked at me for long periods of time lately, and looked away, feeling shy and ridiculous._

 _"_ _It's not a big deal." Sasuke said finally and resumed packing. I shot him a side look, my cheeks still burning._

 _"_ _It'll be over quickly." Sasuke said. "All we have to do is protect runners in some race."_

 _I nodded, knowing that but also knowing that that it didn't make it better. So what if the mission sounded just as pointless as the previous one? It was still a farther journey and it wasn't a mission behind the village gates. There was so many things out there that could harm him. Itachi. Orochimaru. The Akatsuki. Plus, even if I wasn't worried about him, there was still Naruto and all that could happen to him which in turn could affect Sasuke too. The Akatsuki were after Naruto and if ANBU knew, they weren't doing anything about it._

 _"_ _Yeah…I know." I mumbled and hugged myself._

 _He finished packing and shrugged his bag onto his shoulders. He shot me one last look before letting out a sigh and sitting down in front of me._

 _"_ _What's the matter." He said. He sounded as if he didn't have any time for my answer but a look in his eyes revealed otherwise. He was curious too and he knew as well as I did that he would get whatever was bothering at me out one way or another._

 _"_ _I just don't want you to go." I said. "You just came back from a mission."_

 _"_ _That was stupid."_

 _"_ _Whatever, it was still a mission."_

 _"_ _A pointless one."_

 _"_ _Sasuke." I snapped, getting annoyed._

 _"_ _We'll be fine." He insisted with another sigh before reaching out and caressing the side of my face. I flinched at his touch, at the gentleness in his fingers. They made shivers run up and down my spine. I looked at him, my cheeks even redder._

 _"_ _So stop worrying." He said. "I'll be back before you know it."_

 _I nodded slowly. It was more than me worrying about what could be lying in wait beyond the gates. It was bad enough Itachi could be waiting to finish him off, or Orochimaru could be waiting to snatch him too. There was Naruto and the Akatsuki trying to take him and there was ANBU, having all the clues and doing nothing to stop it. Naruto alone could put everyone in danger and if I had been Tsunade, the last thing I would have done was send Team 7 out without a stronger shinobi by their side._

 _"_ _Okay." I managed and watched as he rose to his feet and reached down to pick my clothes off the floor. He placed them at the foot of the bed before his eyes followed the length of my leg back to me, where I sat with my hands gripping the end of his shirt which fit me like a dress. His eyes lingered on my legs before they lifted to my face._

 _"_ _What?" I asked, my voice careful._

 _"_ _Nothing." Sasuke said and headed for the door._

 _"_ _Wait." I said, jumping off of the bed and scampering to his side. He stiffened before turning to glance back at me._

 _"_ _What?" He asked._

 _I placed a hand on the small of his shoulder and licked my lips. Slowly, he turned back to face me and he stared down at me, his eyes like they always were. Firm and dark. My hand had slipped off of his shoulder but I intertwined my fingers with his and gave them a gentle squeeze. He blinked down at our hands before his eyes followed the length of my arm, my neck, his eyes lingering on my throat before they ended at my lips._

 _He pulled me closer and I forgot how to breathe the moment his smell entered my senses. I couldn't even swallow as I stared up at him, my breath in my throat. He started to lower his head just as I rose up on my tiptoes, my lips quivering as he pressed his against mine. One of his hands snaked through my hair and he tilted my head back which made me gasp and allowed him to deepen the kiss. It was enough to make my knees wobble. I grabbed fistfuls of his shirt, pulling him closer while his grip in my hair tightened._

 _We kissed for a few minutes and by the end of it, I was a panting, groaning mess, holding onto him as if for dear life, not satisfied with our current closeness, wanting more. He pulled away first, licking his lips as he looked down at me and my flushed cheeks. A smirk broke out across his lips and it took everything in me to keep myself from pulling him back down._

 _"_ _Save it." He breathed before lowering his head again and brushing his lips against mine. I gasped, my heart racing as his hand slid through my hair, sliding down the back of my neck. He was teasing me, I realized as his lips hovered just out of my reach. Every time I tip-toed up to meet them fully, he'd pull back slightly, just to keep his ghosting lips away from my hungry ones._

 _I met his hooded eyes and saw the hunger lurking just behind them. I felt a warmth bubble in my chest at the thought that Sasuke just might have wanted me as badly as I wanted him but there wasn't time for that and we both knew it. Which was why I didn't pout as much as he pressed a quick peck to the side of my lips before pulling away completely._

 _"_ _Be careful." I managed, forcing a tight smile, feeling a hole forming at the center of my chest. He didn't say anything in response. He just opened the door and left, shutting it behind him._

"Miyuki?"

Hideki's voice made me snap out of my thoughts and I looked at him, forcing a smile.

Watching Sasuke go had made my heart hurt and I had realized as the ache rang through my body that while he wasn't sure what he wanted, I knew what I wanted. It was more than staying by his side and defending his dreams and vowing to make them a reality. Just thinking it had filled me with warmth and reassurance but I knew, just as I had known when the idea had first popped into my head one starry night while he laid on my chest, that there was no telling him anything. It just wasn't the time to reveal anything, not after everything that had happened to him.

"You alright?" Hideki asked

After Sasuke had left and I had returned to the hotel in a depressed state, I had found the boys lounging in the apartment, Kyoske's legs dangling off the side of the couch, Hideki by the window. I had been stunned to see them and excited too, but I had stayed rooted in my spot, waiting for one of them to offer up a reason. As it turned out, Tsunade had summoned them because she was sending us all on a mission to the Sand village, a secret mission that she couldn't send any of her shinobi on for obvious reasons.

As it turned out, Tsunade was trying to rebuild ties with Konoha's strongest ally but it wasn't something that could be done overnight. The Sand had made anonymous donations ever since they had realized the error of their ways and found that Orochimaru had betrayed them, slaughtering their Kage and impersonating him just so that he could get closer to the Third Hokage during the exams. They were remorseful and Tsunade had little to no problem watching them squirm in the palm of her hands.

We were delivering a scroll to the Sand Village in exchange for supplies Konoha needed. It was simple enough but it involved my team having to cross the vast desert that seemed to block the Sand Village from the rest of the ninja world. If the sandstorms weren't enough to turn you away, the sand that found its way into every single part of your body certainly would.

"I'm good." I smiled just as Kyoske groaned, wiggling his feet out of his sandals. He turned his shoe upside down and we watched as a stream of sand slid out.

"I hate this place." He growled.

"Let's just make this quick." I yawned. Sasuke was due back from his mission any day now and I wanted more than anything to be back when he returned. I had spent the whole week daydreaming atop everything else about what I would make for him when he returned.

"Tsunade said that we have to drop the scroll off near the Academy." Hideki said. "That's near the center of town."

We nodded and started walking past the sand stone walls that allowed access to the village. The walls were vast and looked narrow from far away. It was clear that they served as a defense if ever the Sand would be attacked. Though they were smooth, some of the village's history were etched into the wall, carved in like hieroglyphics of sorts. It was interesting and though I had never found time to really look at any of it, I was glancing at it now and just before we officially reached the village, I caught sight of a big part of the Sand's history. It was a picture of Kage standing in front of what looked like a sea of people. The Kage figure stood at the highest point in the village and their arms were raised. Etched beside the Kage figure was a name: _Rasa, The Fourth Kazekage_.

I stopped walking, thinking about the Sand Shinobi. The fourth Kage…Gaara and Kankuro's father. He had been killed, assassinated by Orochimaru for no reason at all. From what I had heard, it had been a hasty decision. I traced a hand across the drawing and found that it was fresh.

"Miyuki?" Kyoske called back to me and I flinched at the mention of my name.

I felt bad suddenly. The loss of a parent. I wondered how they were taking it. I didn't expect Gaara to care, but I knew somewhere inside, there had to be some part of him that did. Same with Kankuro. A parent was a parent either way. They had to feel something.

"What's wrong?" Hideki called.

"Their Kazekage was murdered, remember?" I said.

"So?" Kyoske asked. "They had it coming the moment they signed on with Orochimaru."

Hideki stepped forward. "We can pay our respects at his grave if you want."

I wasn't sure what I wanted. I knew that the last thing I should feel was remorse for this village, for these people. They had lost their strongest shinobi but they had lost the trust of the Leaf. Every other village was more focused on keeping them at an arms-length now and there was nothing they could do about it and at the same time, they deserved it. But, I still felt bad.

"Let's go." Hideki said, coming beside me and placing a hand on my shoulder.

I nodded, sliding my hand down the carved in drawing and turned in the direction he wanted me to walk. I tried to shake the drawing from my head but it was hard. I wondered how Gaara and Kankuro was doing and as annoying as Temari was, I worried about her too.

We reached the Academy a few moments later and a proctor was outside, waiting for us. They took the scroll with a grateful smile and told us to wait for the supplies. Hideki nodded, moving to the front of our group to shake the proctor's hand before they rushed off.

As we waited, Kyoske jumped up on the ledge of the fence outlining the Academy while I leaned against it beside him. Hideki was more focused on looking around as the Suna citizens moved around. There was a somberness in the air but other than that, the villagers were all smiles. You would never had guessed that their Kage was dead or they had betrayed the Leaf.

"Well, well, well." I jumped at the voice while the boys stiffened. Slowly, we turned to face it and sure enough came face to face with the Sand Genin.

"You three miss us so much that you came to visit?" Kankuro asked, with a smirk on his lips.

Kyoske scoffed, stuffing his hands into his pants before turning away like a child not getting his way. Hideki folded his arms, looking them over while I pressed my lips into a tight line.

"What a surprise." Hideki said, not even sounding remotely close to being surprised.

"What are you three doing here?" Temari asked.

"We're on a mission." I answered before Hideki could. "From the Leaf."

"Hmph." Gaara responded, his arms folded. I looked at him, really looked at him. He didn't seem much different and still wore a look of seriousness but there was something else in his eyes, something other than the usual darkness.

"Fancy." Kankuro said, scratching his chin.

"What are you three doing?" Hideki asked.

"Walking around." Temari answered quickly. "It's a nice enough day."

The proctor returned and handed us a package. Hideki grabbed it and we said our thanks before heading back to the main road where the Sand shinobi stood watching us.

"We're sorry for your…loss." I said to Gaara. "We heard about your father."

Gaara didn't seem affected and Kankuro merely shrugged in response. Temari's eyes hardened, but even she didn't have a reaction. We blinked at each other, seeming to size the other up until Gaara broke the silence.

"All my life…that man you call my father never did anything for me." Gaara said.

"Face it…" Kankuro said with a sigh. "The guy was a complete and total jerk."

"But we accept your sympathy." Temari cut in, stepping forward.

I nodded at her, noting the boy's words. They had a point. The last I had heard, the Kage was trying to assassinate Gaara. As for Kankuro, I had never asked but I was sure now, after everything, whatever opinion he had had of his father before had changed. I remembered that the Kage had also focused on making his shinobi the best in all the lands and while that was true for Temari and her group, it had come at a high price. It had never been enough, the strength of his shinobi. He had wanted more, hence Gaara.

"Well, now that we have what we came for." Kyoske said, looking back at Hideki and I. "I'd say it's time to head back."

"Isn't it getting a little late?" Kankuro asked.

We looked up at the setting sun. It was. By the time we reached Suna's gates it would be dark and so would the vast desert. Though the dark didn't scare us, rushing off in the middle of the night wasn't the greatest idea either. The fact that it had taken us less than a day to get to the village was enough of a celebration.

"It is." Hideki agreed.

"You should rest then." Temari said.

"And you should join us…for dinner." Gaara added, earning a look from Kankuro.

It dawned on me the moment the words left his mouth that I had never seen Gaara eat but I was sure when I looked at Hideki and Kyoske for their reaction that the exact opposite had crossed theirs. They blinked at Gaara, Kyoske's mouth hanging open as if he was shocked.

"Th-thanks?" Hideki managed.

"Yeah…" Kankuro grumbled. "Great."

"We'd love to." I smiled, earning a light elbow to the ribs from Kyoske who shot a pointedly look at Gaara when I glanced at him.

"Great." Temari said, her smile light as she regarded Gaara whose expression and demeanor hadn't changed.

"Sounds like we have plans." Kyoske said, not sounding the least bit enthused.

"There's an inn nearby." Kankuro said, matching Kyoske's tone. "We can show you."

"Great." Kyoske added dryly.

"Don't sound so excited." Temari said with a smirk.

"I'm trying to contain it, can't you tell?" Kyoske said.

"Why don't we go to that inn you guys were talking about?" Hideki suggested, placing a firm hand on Kyoske's shoulder before turning him toward the road.

"Good idea." Temari said through gritted teeth, her eyes narrowed at Kyoske who narrowed his eyes right back at her.

There was tension there but Hideki was trying to do his best to put it at ease. There was no trusting Kyoske and I could tell it was taking a lot out of him to keep from exploding. He had never liked dancing around the truth. As far as he was concerned, the Sand Genin had betrayed the Leaf and this whole mission went against everything he stood for. He had never liked traitors and believed that they didn't deserve the same sympathy as everyone else. If it were up to Kyoske and if he was the Fifth Hokage instead of Tsunade, I knew he'd probably call to cut off Suna for good.

We were turning to go when there was a sound of a struggle near the training grounds. We all turned to face it only to see a group of kids standing in a circle and what looked like a body at the center.

"What's going on?" I asked, squinting.

"They're probably playing," Kankuro said.

Kyoske looked at him. "Wow you're terrible with kids."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kankuro growled.

"That circle is the exact opposite of a friendly gathering." Temari said, stepping toward the training grounds first. I started after her and was followed by Gaara who led the way for everyone else. We made it to the grounds just as the crowd of kids were leaving and we found that the body at the center was a little girl with chin length brown hair, fair skin and dark eyes. She had a yellow scarf which had become undone and was covered in dirt, the ends a little frayed. Her oversized green shirt was just as dirty as was her black skirt. As she pushed herself onto her knees I saw that she had thigh-length socks that were ripped and her tiny brown sandals were dirty as well. She was young, probably a few years older than Konohomaru but certainly not our age. She was blinking back tears and sniffing.

"Hey, are you alright?"

I had opened my mouth to ask just the same question but it wasn't my voice that had asked it. we all looked over at Gaara, stunned. The little girl sniffed and wiped at the stray tears on her cheeks before facing the voice and I watched as her small eyes widened in her skull, the color draining as she took him in.

She was just as shocked, if not just as fearful. I couldn't get over the fact that Gaara had asked the question, that Gaara was staring at her, expecting an answer. He didn't seem to care, he just seemed dead to the world, slightly angry if anything.

"I-I-" The girl looked at the rest of us, more tears glistening in her eyes as she rose to her feet before looking back at Gaara. "I'm sorry!" She spat before turning and running off.

"Hey! Wait!" Temari called after her, but Gaara lifted a hand, making her freeze.

"It's alright." Gaara said. "She's alright, that's what matters."

Kyoske blinked at him before leaning toward me. "Is this even the same Gaara that we saw in the Leaf?"

I could only shrug in response because even I was stumped. I had never seen this side of Gaara and though the expressions didn't match the foreign emotion in his voice, there was concern there, nestled somewhere in between it all.

I thought back to Gaara's fight with Naruto, remembered their bodies lying across from each other in the clearing, both of them exhausted, panting heavily, cringing from the pain. Their eyes had been locked on each other and they had been talking long before Temari and I had arrived. I wasn't sure what Naruto had said to him but whatever it had been, had gotten Gaara thinking about friendship, which I remembered was one of the last things he had said to Naruto before they parted.

I couldn't help but smile. Naruto, of course. It explained it all. Naruto had changed him. Naruto had gotten further into Gaara's head than I did and instead of changing his perception of just him, he had changed Gaara's entire perspective. I could see it then, a new Gaara just behind the mask of the old one. He was letting people in and that showed in Temari's smile. It was a work in progress overall, but it had been done and that was what it was really all about.

New beginnings.


	37. Chapter 37: Gaara's Pupil!

**Chapter 37: Gaara's Pupil!**

"Ohh!" Temari exhaled. "This feels great."

I would have been lying if I said that I didn't feel the same. A bubbling mud bath had sounded gross at first though it had actually turned out pretty decent. I relaxed into it and closed my eyes exhaling my own sigh of relief.

Kankuro had led the way to the local inn where Hideki had gotten us three rooms at a discounted price. While we waited for our rooms to be processed, Temari had made plans for dinner and appointment at the bath house. While dinner was being prepared in the main room, Temari had dragged me toward the mud bath area and the rest was history.

"You do this often?" I asked, taking in a breath.

Temari smiled as she stretched. "Yeah, whenever I find time. I usually come her with my friends."

I nearly choked. "Fr-friends?!" It sounded like a foreign concept when it came to Temari. I had never thought of her as a person who had friends, especially with people like Gaara hanging around. It was how she preferred it, to be around him, but I had always thought that was the extent of her social life. I just couldn't imagine her hanging out with anyone else.

She shot me a dark look. "What? I can't have friends or something?"

I laughed lightly, holding up my muddy hands as if to keep her at bay. But, I could feel her anger growing, see the agitation making her brow twitch as she glared at me. I had offended her and I felt a little bad.

"I just-I just-"

"You just _what_?" Temari growled.

I swallowed. "I just never imagined it…you're just always with the boys…I figured…"

"There's only so much testosterone a girl can take, Miyuki." Temari said through gritted teeth, struggling to bite down her annoyance.

I nodded a little too eagerly. Temari had friends? Fair enough. She was entitled to I supposed. Sure it was something I had to see to believe but that could be a road we'd cross whenever we got there.

"I just figured you were always with Gaara…and Kankuro…"

"Yeah, yeah well I'm not." Temari said, turning away, more annoyed now that I was trying to clear the air and defend my reaction. I pressed my lips together, averting my gaze up toward the ceiling of the spa house.

That was when the doors slid open and the two of us jumped and gasped as a strong gust of wind burst in.

"TEMARI-CHAN!" A voice shouted before two bodies plunged into the mud between us.

I gasped, gripping the edge of the bath as the two bodies rose up, one with big amber eyes and the other with soft brown eyes. they blinked at me and I watched as the mud dripped off them to reveal fair skin just beneath it. One girl was smaller than the other, heck she was even smaller than me. Her hair was brown and pulled back into two pigtails that were twisted and curled at the end. She had two blushes on each side of her face and the more I stared into her eyes, the less amber they seemed. In fact, they looked orange.

As for the other girl, she had sandy blonde hair that was pulled back into a high ponytail. She had two loose strands and two other pieces that were tightly braided, both hanging on both side of their faces. I gawked at the two of them, blinking rapidly as they grinned at me before turning toward Temari.

"Temari!" The blonde one gasped. "It's been far too long!"

"Thanks for the invite." The brown–haired one said. She was so small, the mud ended just below her chin. "We needed to relax after the week we had."

Temari smiled softly. "Yeah, sure no worries."

"Who's your friend?" The brown-haired girl asked, her head turning to stare right at me.

"That's Miyuki." Temari said. "Miyuki, these are my _friends_." She stressed the word and it took everything in me to not shoot her a look. Okay…I got the point.

"Oh hi." The blonde smiled. I looked at her and found that she was tall, taller than Temari even and probably the same height as Kankuro. "My name is Sen."

"Yome." The small one said, tilting her head back as her orange eyes peered down the length of her nose toward me.

"N-Nice to meet you." I smiled.

"We were just talking about you." Temari said dryly. "Miyuki here didn't believe that someone like me could have friends."

Sen laughed and it was big and daring. "Temari? She's a little social butterfly this one."

I laughed too, which made Temari's lips twitch in response.

"It's because you're always with those boys." Yome said, tearing her gaze away from me toward Temari who waved a hand through the air in response.

"They're my teammates." Temari said. "It's not like I have a choice."

"Yeah, sure. If it were up to you, it would just be you and Gaara." Sen laughed.

Temari's face reddened. "N-no!" She stammered which made the girls laugh.

"How is he anyway?" Sen asked, easing back into the bath. "You two expecting yet?"

"Shut up!" Temari said, splashing some mud her way. Sen laughed as Temari straightened.

"He's doing okay though." Temari said. "But, I think something got to him today."

"What do you mean?" Yome asked.

Temari looked down at the mud and took a breath. "Outside the Academy today, a little girl was getting picked on."

I had almost forgotten about the girl but the moment Temari said it, the look on her face, the look of pure and utter fear filling every angle came back to me. Poor kid had looked about ready to piss herself at the mere sight of Gaara and she had run away so quickly, none of us had chased after her. I had failed to see Gaara's reaction to it all because the Sand Genin had all but whisked us away from the scene moments after.

"A girl…getting picked on?" Yome repeated.

Sen nodded, her eyes turning hard. "It's probably that girl, Matsuri."

"Matsuri?" Temari repeated. "Who's that?"

"You've never heard of her?" Sen asked before shrugging. "It's a sad story, happened a few years ago."

"Her parents died." Yome said.

Sen nodded. "Yes well, they were murdered right in front of her."

My eyes widened. It brought back so many memories. My own family, Sasuke's family…

"That's terrible." Temari said, a hand lifting to cover just the outside of her mouth, her eyes wide. "Wh-when did that happen?"

"A few years ago." Sen said. "It didn't exactly make the front page. A lot was going on back then. It happened when she was around four or something."

"Regardless, she joined the Academy but she can't use weapons." Yome said. "After all these years, Matsuri is still traumatized."

"Plus, you know how kids are." Sen said. "You remember how they were to Gaara. It's not the same, not by a long shot, but it's the same overall."

"She won't touch a weapon and she's in the Academy?" I asked. It seemed like a waste to me and though it didn't make it better.

Temari closed her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. She seemed a little lost in thought and I wondered if she was thinking back to how Gaara was treated. I didn't know much about it, but I had always known that the life of a Jinchūriki wasn't easy. Naruto had told me one time over ramen that he wanted to become Hokage because he wanted everyone to respect him. But, I was sure there was pain behind that somewhere. It was more than respect, it was other things too.

"It's getting worse too." Sen said. "The mentorship selection is tomorrow."

"What's that?" I asked.

"It's when recent Academy graduates are paired up with Genin to be in order to show them the ropes." Yome said. "It's something that's only offered to the top students."

"How does that affect Matsuri?" I asked.

Sen looked at me. "Despite being a failure in things combat related, she's at the top of the class academically and there's no rule that states she can't participate."

"Whoever takes her on is wasting their time because she can't fight and she won't fight. She freezes every single time." Yome added.

"Is she in counseling for this?" I asked.

Yome shrugged. "I don't know but if she is, she hasn't gotten better, she's just gotten worse."

"It's not for everyone, I guess." Sen said.

Temari stood up, gripping the towel around her body as she pushed herself out of the tub. I looked at her, arching a brow.

"Where are you going?" I asked her.

"I just remembered something." Temari said with a small smile. "I'll see you at dinner."

With that, she was gone and I looked back at Sen and Yome who seemed just as confused as I was.

"Where do you think she's going?" Yome asked.

"No idea." Sen said before looking at me. "So how long have you and Temari been friends?"

I almost coughed. "Friends" was still a stretch when it came to Temari and I.

"We've known each other for a few years I suppose." I said. "But, calling us friends is pushing it."

"You get along on some level." Sen said with a smile.

"How long have you known about her and Gaara?" Yome piped.

I looked at her. Temari and Gaara? All I knew was that she cared for him and they were always together. I knew that he defended her, well, that she was one of the few people he ever defended. It was obvious she had some sort of crush, but I had always suspected with as cold as he was, that nothing had ever come of their relationship.

But, looking at the two girls, I now realized that maybe, it was the exact opposite.

"She likes him." I said.

Sen nodded. "Always has ever since they were kids."

"Even when the rest of us would run away whenever he came around, Temari was always trying to be close to him. She never ignored him, and anytime his inner demon would strike out, she'd still come." Yome said.

"He hurt her once." Sen said with a soft smile, her eyes distant.

I nodded, interested in this whole new side to both Gaara and Temari.

"It was an accident of course. Gaara hadn't been able to control his demon as good as he can now. He was trying to help a bunch of kids get their toy out or something and it backfired. He tried to protect everyone too but quite a few kids got hurt, but not as badly as our little Temari. Not only was she hurt by his sand, but she was hurt in the accident too." Sen explained.

"That's terrible." I gasped.

"I don't think Gaara was ever able to forgive himself after that he pushed away. He was actually pretty mean to her. She used to think he hated her, but she couldn't hate him. She wanted to be there for him." Yome continued.

"And now they're like inseparable especially ever since they came back from the Chunin Exams." Sen smiled. "It's nice to see her so happy."

I nodded, remembering the pride in Temari's face whenever she looked at Gaara. I liked the change just the way I liked the thought of the two of them together. Two powerful shinobi walking hand in hand as equals. It was a really nice thought.

"That's good then." I smiled.

Sen nodded. "Yeah, it is."

…

Temari wasn't at dinner and neither was Gaara so that left us with Kankuro who proved that he was a terrible host until Sen and Yome arrived. They definitely lightened the mood at the table and Kyoske seemed to approve of them while gawking at the fact that someone like Temari had friends. It wasn't long before he wondered if Kankuro had any friends and that almost made Kankuro climb over the table to strangle him.

I couldn't eat though and kept staring at the empty spots at the table, the spots where Temari and Gaara would have been sitting. I wondered what the two of them were doing and wondered briefly, surprising myself by doing so, if they were okay. Temari had left in a hurry and hadn't looked back after she left. The longer I sat staring, the more anxious I became and just as dessert was rolling around, I excused myself and headed out to look for them.

I walked through Suna's sandy streets, feeling the cool night air coming between the clay building. The city was lit with lanterns at night and the stars and moon twinkled brightly above. It was a cloudless night and though the village was becoming quieter, there were still a few people out. I was lost in thought as I walked, but was careful to look for Gaara's signature gourd. But, after an hour, I was losing hope until I wondered if maybe they had gone off to get alone time together. I blushed at the thought and instantly felt terrible for looking for them. I imagined stumbling upon them too, some sort of candlelight dinner and ruining it. Temari would never forgive me and I was sure I'd never be able to forgive myself either.

I turned to walk away when I almost ran right into someone. I stumbled back as did the other person and before I could get out an apology, the other person did.

"I'm so sorry!" They stammered and when I looked up them, my eyes widened. It was the girl, Matsuri.

She had tears in her eyes and was holding up her hands, as if she was afraid I'd hit her or something.

"It-it's alright." I said before offering her a hand. Her stumble back had ended with her falling back on her butt and she was still on the ground. She sniffed and stared at my extended hand before sliding hers into mine and I pulled her to her feet, a gentle smile on my lips as I did so.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

She blinked up at me, her cheeks turning a little red. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she nodded.

"Good." I said and placed my hands on my knees as I bent down to her level. "What's your name?" I asked.

She blinked at me. "M-Matsuri."

I nodded. "It's so good to meet you, Matsuri. My name is Miyuki."

"M-Miyuki." She repeated before her blush deepened.

"Miyuki?"

I turned around to face the voice only to find Temari standing behind me with Gaara by her side. I brightened at the side of them and rose up.

"Hey guys." I said before motioning to Matsuri. "I just made a new friend."

Matsuri cowered behind me, her eyes focused on Gaara, her small body trembling.

I smiled down at her. "Matsuri, these are my friends, Temari and G—"

"Gaara." She finished, her eyes shining all over again, brimming with fresh tears.

Gaara just stared at her and Temari smiled.

"You two have already met, that's wonderful." She said, trying to lighten the mood.

But the exact opposite was reciprocated in Matura's eyes. She was scared of him, horrified to the point where her knees were wobbling. I placed a hand on her shoulder and she flinched at my touch. Her head lifted up toward me.

"It's alright." I smiled. "Gaara's a good guy. He's not going to hurt you."

I wasn't sure if I had made things better or worse but Matsuri pulled away from my touch and looked about ready to run when Gaara spoke.

"I'm sorry to hear about what happened to you." Gaara said.

She froze in her tracks and slowly, very slowly, she turned to face him, her eyes wide but not with fear, surprise and confusion.

"I'm sorry for your loss as well." Gaara said. "No one should go through what you did."

She blinked at him and I watched as the tension in her shoulders eased themselves. She turned to face him fully, her small eyes blinking up at him.

Temari smiled while I stared on impressed. Gaara having a heart to heart? The day was filled with firsts.

"Thanks." Matsuri said, her voice surprisingly soft and small, more so than I had realized before. After a few moments of her lips trembling, I was surprised when her lips pulled up into a small, shy smile.

Gaara nodded and looked at Temari and I.

"We should head back." He said.

Temari nodded before wrapping an arm around my shoulders, the two of us stepping forward until Matsuri jumped in front of Gaara and we stopped.

The look on her face had changed. Determination burned in her eyes as she stared up at him but I could tell it had taken every ounce of courage that she had inside of her little body.

"Matsuri..." I said, pulling away from Temari. "Are you alright?"

She didn't respond to me, but she pointed a finger at Gaara. "I choose you."

Gaara blinked at her while Temari arched an eyebrow.

"Choose him for what?" Temari asked.

Matsuri sucked in a breath. "I choose you…I choose you…I choose you to be my mentor."

Silence. My eyes widened and Temari couldn't help but gasp. But, Gaara merely blinked at her, no reaction. Matsuri looked up at him, her eyes twinkling, her hands in tight fists at her sides.

"Me?" Gaara asked, his voice low.

Matsuri nodded a moment later. "I want you."

"Why?" He asked right after.

This seemed to stun the poor girl and she blinked up at Gaara at first, until she found her resolve and stomped a foot on the ground.

"Everyone tells me that I'm useless because I can't fight but…but…it's not my fault." Matsuri said, her cheeks turning redder and redder the more she struggled to get her words out.

"Not everything is about fighting." Gaara said.

She stopped talking.

"Fighting isn't about being able to hurt others." Gaara continued, his expression even, his eyes not exactly cold, but firm as they held Matsuri in them. "It's about protecting your comrades."

Another moment of silence passed between the two of them and I stepped forward, Gaara's words resonating within me. What struck me wasn't the fact that I had never heard words remotely close to that ever leaving Gaara's mouth, that was actually something different. What struck me was how familiar they sounded, how the fire burning in his eyes reminded me of someone else.

Matsuri's eyes widened and she stepped back.

"I'll be your instructor." Gaara said. "And I'll be sure to teach you what that means."

She hesitated, but managed an affirmative nod in response.

Temari placed a hand over her heart and I glanced over at her only to find her smiling at the two of them. If pride had shined in her eyes earlier in the day, it was really shining now. She even seemed to be trying to hold back tears.

"Temari?" I asked softly, placing a hand on her arm. She looked over at me, a soft smile pulling at the edges of her lips.

"You alright?" I asked.

Temari nodded and sniffed before responding.

"I'm fine."

I nodded and looked back at Gaara as Matsuri seemed to do most of the talking between the two of them, her eyes sparkling as she went on and on.

"He's changed." I said, crossing my arms.

Temari nodded. "He has." She cleared her throat before reaching up to swipe a finger along the underside of her eye. "I suppose we can thank that big idiot for that, huh?"

"Idiot?" I asked, looking at her.

Temari smirked before looking back at Gaara. "Naruto."

My eyes widened. I had always known it was true, but Naruto's reach was phenomenal. Gaara. _Gaara_. The boy who was standing in front of me was completely different from the shaky and unstable mess I had seen just a few months ago. This new boy spoke of friendship as if he knew what it was all about. It was just hard to believe and wrap my head around the fact that this was the same Gaara. I thought back to what Sen and Yome had said about Temari and Gaara's past in the bath house. Gaara painted as this fragile and unstable little kid who just wanted to be appreciated who just wanted to experience friendship. Temari, the girl who defied all odds and everyone's warnings about staying away from him. All her life, she had clung to him, all her life she had cared for him and in a way, he cared for her too, he just wasn't sure how to.

It was like Sasuke, bottling up his emotions, keeping to himself. But, there was Gaara, the last person I would have thought to become one with his emotions, and yet, it was possible. He was living proof and he was standing right in front of me, smiling softly down at Matsuri, bringing tears to Temari's eyes in the process.

I smiled, unable to hold it in any longer. I didn't know this new version of Gaara, but if he could change, I had faith that Sasuke could as well. Though, it would take more than just me to change him. I needed the others too, I needed Sakura and Kakashi but mostly I needed Naruto. Together we could make something happen and in the end, that was all that mattered.


	38. Chapter 38: Naruto vs Sasuke!

**Author's Note:**

Much thanks for reading and commenting! Hope you guys enjoy this latest chapter! Things are really heating up and the ending is just in the horizon. Some people have been theorizing how it will end...but my lips are totally sealed! Enjoy! Review! Subscribe! Oh and don't forget to check out my latest story with Miyuki! It takes place right before Shippuden!

Peace, Love, & Nachos!

 **Chapter 38: Naruto vs Sasuke!**

I had never run faster in my entire life.

I burst through the doors of the Konoha hospital, feeling like I was moving in a panic. I ignored the nurse behind the help desk who rose a startled mess from her seat. As she struggled to find her voice, I ran right for the room that Megumi-sensei had told me at the gates.

Even as I ran down the hall, my footsteps echoing, her words sounded far away. I hadn't heard much when she spoke to me, but a few words had reached me. _Sasuke…hospital…608…East_.

She had still been speaking when I bolted past her and I wasn't even sure if the boys had called out to me either. I just knew I had to see him for myself and I prayed with everything that I had that he was okay. I reached his hallway and ran straight into his room, arriving and nearly bashing my face against the door. I fiddled with the doorknob, probably looking like I had no idea how a door operated before I got the general idea and pushed myself inside.

I stumbled in just in time to see him sitting up on his bed, his hands on his lap, his head low.

"Sasuke!" I gasped before running toward him. He lifted his head just a little, before I threw myself on top of him. I pulled him close to me and buried my face in his hair, letting the tears fall as I held him. He was tense in my arms but slowly, very slowly, I felt one of his hands come down on my side.

"Thank goodness you're alright!" I managed before pulling away and letting my hands slide down his arms before stopping at his elbows. I took good look at him and saw the agitation on his brow, his lips pressed down into a scowl.

"Sasuke?" I asked. I was confused, worried even. He seemed worse than before and his eyes…his eyes were so dark. I pulled away completely, my hands resting on my lap. I was about to say something more when footsteps sounded from down the hall. They were slow, but moved with purpose and we both turned our head to the closed door just so see Sakura's outline from behind the glass.

"Yo! Sakura! I'm here!"

It was Naruto running down the hall and I couldn't help the smile that came over my face as a result. _Naruto_. It was good that he was here because somehow I was sure he'd be able to remove the chip on Sasuke's shoulder. I looked back at Sasuke, still wearing my smile when I saw the hatred in his face. His eyes had turned a shade darker and he was glaring at the door, his teeth gritted together, his hands balled into tight fists at his sides.

"Naruto!" Sakura said, her voice soft.

She eased the door open as every muscle in my body tensed. What was up with him? What was his problem?

"Sasuke! I'm ba—" Sakura's eyes widened at the sight of me before she smiled and raced to my side. "Miyuki!"

"Miyuki?!" Naruto said, appearing in the doorway a moment late. He ran toward me too, his eyes shining. "You're still here?"

"I just came back from a mission." I smiled. "I came as soon as I heard."

Sakura nodded before looking at Sasuke and lifting a bag in her hand. "I bought you some apples, Sasuke. I figured you were hungry." She moved to the seat at his bedside and sat down before taking out one of the apples. She started peeling them as I watched her.

"Where did you go on your mission?" Naruto asked.

"To Suna." I said as I turned to smile up at him.

"Suna…" Naruto breathed. "You mean like where the Sand Genin are from?"

I nodded.

"What the heck were you doing there?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto! Don't be rude!" Sakura scolded.

I laughed lightly before looking at Sasuke who was glaring at his bedsheets. "It's alright. I was getting supplies to help rebuild the Leaf."

"Did you bump into Gaara and all of them?" Naruto asked.

I was about to answer him when Sakura finished peeling the apple. She cut it into pieces and stabbed a piece with a toothpick right at its middle. She held it up, offering it toward Sasuke with a smile on her lips.

"There! I cut it so it's easier to eat. Wanna try one?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke glared at her and I was shocked with how much venom his eyes held. I was about to call him out on it when his hand swiped up not only knocking the apple clean out of Sakura's hands but everything on the plate too. Sakura flinched, her hands raising to shield her face as apples scattered around the room.

I stared with wide eyes as Naruto blinked between the two of them before anger got the better of him. He glared at Sasuke.

"Sasuke?" Sakura breathed.

"What the heck's your problem?" Naruto asked just as Sasuke turned his glare onto Naruto.

Naruto's hands balled into tight fists at his sides as he stared at Sasuke. "Wha-what's with that look?"

"Naruto…" Sasuke growled.

I shivered. There was something wrong, something darker about the Sasuke in front of me. He was filled with more hatred than I thought was even possible.

"Wh-what?" Naruto asked, his body tensing.

"I want you to fight me." Sasuke growled.

Naruto's eyes widened with shock and Sakura's eyes watered as she stared between the two of them.

"L-listen I want to fight you too b-but…you're pretty hurt, remember? It's not the b—"

"You don't want to fight me? All those months of big talk and now I'm willing to give you the time of day and you're not having it? What are you? Some sort of chicken?"

Naruto stiffened before his eyes grew stormy. "I'm not chickening out!"

"Then fight me." Sasuke growled, throwing off his covers and rising to his feet. "I know a place."

"Naruto, please." Sakura begged.

He didn't listen to her and I was too stunned to do anything. I couldn't get over the look in Sasuke's eyes, the sheer cruelty in it all.

"Lead the way." Naruto growled in response.

Sasuke smirked, sinister and void of anything good and stepped forward, crushing an apple slice with his foot on the way out. Together, they headed out of the room and Sakura and I watched in muted silence, holding our breaths until they were gone.

"I-I don't understand." She sniffed, a few tears slipping down her cheeks.

I slowly turned to face her, my shoulders shaking.

"Sakura, we have to stop them." I said.

She reached up to wipe her tears away, still sniffling and crying and I wasn't any better because I wasn't moving either. My feet were firmly planted on the ground and I was still trembling from the look in Sasuke's eyes. I just couldn't believe that it had come out from the same person.

"Y-You're right." Sakura swallowed before turning to look at me. "I don't know what's gotten into them."

She moved past me while I trembled. I waited a few moments, until I couldn't hear her footsteps anymore before heading after her. My steps felt slow and zombie-like and even though I knew I had to move faster, I couldn't bring myself to.

They had gone up to the roof and I could hear them all from the open door, mostly Naruto telling Sasuke to put on his forehead protector. By the time I reached the top they were going at it each other with Taijutsu, knocking each other into the clothing lines, the white sheets the nurses had hung falling to the ground. Sasuke kicked Naruto back and he tumbled into one of the white sheets, barely having time to catch himself before Sasuke appeared in front of him, punching him back into the gates. He punched and kicked at Naruto who was wrapped in the white sheet while Sakura called out to them.

"Stop it!" I shouted, joining in. Sasuke flinched which was all Naruto needed to have a comeback and he jumped out from the sheet successfully landing a hit. Sasuke skidded back and Sakura watched, her hands clasped just under her chin. I looked at her, took in the pain shining in her eyes. This had to stop.

"NARUTO!"

"SASUKE!"

I turned back to face them, my heart in my throat, tears shining in my own eyes. I couldn't understand what the problem was. It seemed personal, this fight of theirs. Sure, I had known it was only a matter of time, but not like this and most certainly not now of all times.

"I've had enough of you!" Sasuke growled, landing on one of the water tanks.

"I could say the same about you!" Naruto shouted right back, his body perched on top of the chain-link fence.

They cupped their hands, their eyes dark as they glared up at each other. A ball of lightening formed in Sasuke's palm while a ball of spinning chakra formed in Naruto's. My eyes widened seeing Naruto's attack, but before I could voice a reaction, they were flying toward each other, their arms raised over their heads.

"CHIDORI!"

"RASENGAN!"

"No!" Sakura shouted, darting forward herself. I didn't stop her, but I had the urge to and knew that I could've reached out and caught her somehow. But, I had let her slip away and now I was stuck watching her run toward the boys, tears sliding down her red cheeks. She was running right into the fight and my eyes widened as I realized that the boys weren't stopping themselves. They were still heading for each other and if they kept it up, they would hit her. Their attacks would hit Sakura and they woud…they would…

I remembered Haku's body lying on the side of Tazuna's bridge. I remembered the massive hole in his chest. I remembered what Sasuke's attacks had done to the rocks out in the training fields. He would kill her and that was his attack alone. Who knew what Naruto's would do.

"Stop it!" Sakura continued, her feet still moving while mine remained stuck to the ground.

I wanted to close my eyes but I also couldn't look away from the sheer disbelief. I didn't want to believe that they would hurt her and yet, it was happening right in front of me. That was when Kakashi appeared out of nowhere. He was as smooth as the wind and one hand caught Naruto's extended wrist while the other caught Sasuke's. He swung them both around, sending their attacks and their bodies toward two different water tanks.

The sound of metal being crushed in filled the air and made my body stiffen. Then there was the torrent of water that followed and I looked up, observing the damage. Naruto was trembling, his hand pressed near the small crack his attack had cause on the side of his tank. Sasuke's arm was inside his tank, the metal twisted inward. He wretched his arm free, panting as he looked over at Naruto before snickering.

"What's wrong with you two? Those were powerful attacks, way too powerful to be aimed at a fellow ally from the Leaf village." Kakashi scolded. Sakura had stopped running and was at his side, blinking back wet tears as she looked up at the boys.

Sasuke didn't care, in fact, he snorted in response.

"Someone could have gotten seriously injured." Kakashi continued before jumping up and appearing beside Sasuke, probably to scold him more.

I jumped up to Naruto and helped him to his feet.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

He panted and reached up to wipe at the sweat dotting his brow.

"Y-yeah."

"What's wrong with him?" I asked.

Naruto looked up at me, his eyes searching mine before he let out a shrug. "No idea."

I looked back at Sasuke only to see his glare aimed right at me and before I could say anything, he back-flipped over the gate and landed on the other side.

"Sasuke." Kakashi called out to him, but he wasn't having it. He looked up and his eyes widened before they became a whole new level of stormy. He disappeared shortly after and I sighed heavily, before jumping onto the other side after him. Then, I found out what had his attention. Naruto's water tank had a massive hole on the back of it, the metal jutting out in jagged pieces. I looked at his tank and saw that it wasn't even close to piercing through. Most of Sasuke's damage came from the front of his tank.

"Naruto! Are you alright?" Sakura asked.

I looked back only to meet Kakashi's eye and saw him nod in my direction. I nodded right back before jumping down to the street below. I had to find Sasuke and try to talk some sense into him before things got worse or before he went up against someone else.

…

I found him in a more secluded part of the hospital and he was sitting up in a tall tree, his eyes distant, his arms braced on his knees as he glared at a single spot in his branch.

"Sasuke!" I called up to him, knowing that he would ignore me but secretly hoping that he wouldn't. I jumped up to his branch and sat down in front of him. If he had heard me call up to him, he didn't show it.

"Hey." I said, my voice softer. "Are you alright?"

No response. Just a harder glare at the tree branch.

"Hey." I said before I lifted a hand. I was reaching for his elbow but his hand was faster and he swatted my hand away before turning his dark glare on me.

I gasped, my hand stinging from the harsh slap and I was reminded of the last time I had visited him in the hospital. He had slapped my hand away too and it hurt and stung just as bad as it had that day.

I cradled my hand against my chest. "What's your problem?"

He seemed perfectly satisfied with just glaring at me in response but, I was over it. I glared right back at him.

"What was that back there? Why did you attack Naruto?"

"Leave me alone." Sasuke growled.

"No." I spat. "Not until you tell me what's wrong."

His glare deepened if that was even possible. But, I still didn't care.

"I know you two are rivals and all, but attacking a comrade the way you did? Kakashi was right about the size of that attack. If you didn't hurt Naruto, you would have definitely hurt Sakura."

"Well, glad you were there to make sure he was okay then." Sasuke growled.

I blinked at him. "Wh-what?"

Sasuke rose to his feet. "I'm done talking to you. Just stay away from me."

"What is wrong with you? What is this about? What happened on that mission?"

"My eyes were opened, that's what happened." Sasuke snapped.

"Wh-wh—"

"I realized what was really important to me." He growled. "I realized that whatever I'm doing here isn't working."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm not getting any stronger here."

"What does that have to do with Naruto?" But, I knew the answer to that. It had to do with everything. All the years spent as rivals and in a matter of minutes, it was clear who was superior and all it had taken was water tanks. Naruto was stronger after training with Jiraiya and after everything, after whatever had happened during his mission, that was something that Sasuke just couldn't handle.

"You had one bad day—"

"He told me that I wasn't strong enough." Sasuke cut me off. "He said that I would never be and he was right."

"Sasuke—"

"And he was right."

"You don't know what you're talking about. Let's get you back to bed. Sleep on it okay? It will be better tomorrow, you'll see."

"No." Sasuke growled.

"Sasuke."

"I said to leave me alone." He snapped, a shiver shooting down my spine. He was darker than ever now, darker than I had ever seen him. Orochimaru flashed in my mind and my stomach tightened just thinking about it. But, there was no way. There was no way he would consider that, right? Not after us, not after everything we had gone through. Not after he had admitted that I could potentially be something that he wanted. I had clung to that moment, clung to the confusion in his eyes and how he had stared at me before he left. How I had felt his need for me burning in our last kiss and now…now…now it felt different.

"Stop pushing me away!" I spat.

"Stop bothering me." Sasuke growled.

"That's enough."

I jumped at the new voice and we looked behind us only to find Kakashi standing there, his hands in his pockets, his brows furrowed with anger.

"Kakashi." Sasuke grumbled. "What do you wa—"

Kakashi pulled a hand out from his pockets and I saw the translucent wire come out with it. It wrapped around Sasuke, securing him against the tree and he grunted as he fell back and landed.

"Let go of me!" Sasuke growled.

"Not until you cool off." Kakashi said before shooting me a look. "I'll take it from here, Miyuki."

I blinked up at him, knowing that they needed their time and that Kakashi might be able to get more to the root of Sasuke's anger compared to me. All I had seemed to do was make it even worse.

I felt my shoulders drop and I managed a nod as I looked between the both of them. Sasuke struggling against the wires, his hands in tight fists on his lap while Kakashi told him to calm down. I cast my eyes down toward the ground below, unsure how I felt. Something told me that I should be able to soothe him, something told me that Kakashi was the one that needed to go. But, I was out of things to say and I was more confused than ever.

I jumped down to the ground below, feeling the grass crunch beneath my feet. I thought back to the look in their eyes as they flew toward each other, the anger and contempt in Sasuke's eyes and the determination in Naruto's. I didn't know what had happened during their mission, but whatever it was had brought Sasuke here and something told me he had already been at his boiling point.

…

It was getting late, so late that the sun was beginning to set and I was still in the training grounds, sitting on a wooden stump, the late afternoon sun hot on my back. I had wandered there after leaving Sasuke in Kakashi's hands and I still felt like there was something I needed to do, something I needed to say.

I had been kicking my legs back and forth, watching the sunlight fade as it rolled across the grassy pasture. I felt lonely, useless even. I had decided not to find Naruto and Sakura because I figured they were probably no better than I was. Sakura was probably crying somewhere while Naruto was nursing a bowl of ramen, barely eating as he tried to figure out what he had done.

I pulled a hand through my hair, pulling back any stray strands in the process. If Sasuke thought that he was weak, he would want to seek out power and only one person had promised him power…

I shook it off. There was no way he'd go to Orochimaru. He was dense and going through a lot but he had me didn't he? Hadn't he said that he had wanted me too? Didn't he want to stay and figure us out before anything? I wanted to believe that he cared for me but the more I thought about the ways he talked to me and treated me…I wondered if he even knew what caring was.

"Why so sad?"

I stiffened at the voice, lost for a brief moment until I realized that I didn't recognize it. I looked up only to find an empty clearing, nothing but eeriness wafting through the now darkened trees.

"Who's there?" I called, my body tense as I pushed off from the stump. I glared into the darkness, feeling on edge but ready for anything.

A breeze rolled in, making the leaves shake and scratch against each other. With it, came a guttural chuckle, dark and deep and it made my stomach tighten.

"You're practically trembling, _trash_."

I swung around and found Tayuya standing behind me, her arms crossed, a smirk playing on her lips. I glared at her in response, balling my hands into tight fists at my sides. It aggravated me just to see her standing there and I hadn't even looked at the others yet.

"Leave her alone, Tayuya."

I swung to face the newest voice and saw Sakon standing on my right. He still carried Ukon on his back and if I didn't know any better I would have said that he was fast asleep.

"Yeah, let little Miyuki trembling in her little shoes like the baby that she is." I turned to the other side and caught sight of Kidōmaru behind me.

"Hmph." I caught sight of Jirobō in front of me, one of his brows arched as he looked at me.

"What do you want?" I growled. "What are you even doing here?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." Tayuya grumbled.

"We could ask you the same question." Sakon said with a smirk.

"You live here now or something?" Jirobō asked.

"No, she has her little Uchiha boyfriend here." Kidōmaru chuckled.

I turned to glare at him.

"Look at that face." Sakon said. "She gets even more adorable when she's upset, don't you think?"

"So adorable that it makes me want to kick her face in." Tayuya growled, her hands in tight fists at her sides. "When do we get to kick her ass into the ground?"

"Easy, Tayuya." Jirobō said.

Tayuya glared at him. "Don't tell me what to do fatso!"

They glared at each other while Sakon chuckled, rubbing the back of his head as he looked between the two of them.

"Easy you two." Kidōmaru said.

"Make me spider limbs!" Tayuya snapped again.

"What are you doing here?" I growled. "I won't ask you again."

"Or what?" Tayuya asked, stomping her foot on the ground. "What are you gonna do if we don't tell you?"

"We're here to deliver a very important message to your beloved." Sakon said.

I glared at him, choosing to ignore Tayuya.

"Stay away from Sasuke." I snapped.

"We can't do that." Sakon said.

"And if you try anything we'll kill you!" Tayuya growled.

"I'm not letting you near him."

"That's not for you to decide." Kidōmaru snickered.

I braced myself, my hand hovering just beside my weapons pouch. I knew that weapons would be useless against them and I also knew that taking them on by myself was just as stupid. I needed the boys by my side but more than anything, I needed a better plan. I couldn't let them get to me, Tayuya's annoying quips aside.

"What are you going to say to him?" I managed.

They didn't answer right away. They let another breeze come through, let it rustle through the tree leaves before Sakon sucked in a breath.

"We just wanted to let him know that Orochimaru's offer still stands." He said.

I glared at him. "He's not going to him."

"Says who?" Tayuya snickered. "He's a grown boy, he can think for himself."

"He will, though." Kidōmaru said. "Look at the kid."

I turned to shoot him an even darker glare. "You don't know the first thing about him."

"Like you do?" Jirobō asked.

I didn't know what to say to that but, I was tired of staying quiet. I pulled out a kunai and Tayuya was on me a moment later, delivering a sharp kick to my gut the minute I pulled the kunai out of its holster. The kick sent me flying back to the stump and I hit it, hard.

"I don't think so." Tayuya said.

"Don't make this difficult, Miyuki." Sakon said. "We're not here to hurt you."

"But we will if you don't give us any other choice." Kidōmaru added.

"And you know it will upset him to hear that we had to teach you a lesson." Sakon said. "Not to forget your little boy toy."

I wiped my mouth with my sleeve, coughing as I looked up at the four of them huddled together with Tayuya snickering.

"I don't care about Orochimaru." I growled.

"You can't stop the inevitable." Kidōmaru said.

"Watch me." I growled and jumped into the air, forming hand signs. "Water Style! Raging Waves!"

They dodged the attack at the last second and when I landed on the stump, Kidōmaru appeared, his arms in fists that he shot at me. I managed to counter each of them, but his quick jabs and swift kicks, forced me off the stump which was all Sakon needed to knock me clean off my feet and kick me back. Once there, Jirobō came next and while I caught his fist in my palm, he rammed his body into me. I slid back as Tayuya appeared above me, landing on top of me. I gasped as her hands snaked around my neck and she squeezed, applying just the right amount of pressure to force my voice to come out in small gasps.

"I could kill you right here and right now." She growled into my face, her eyes dark.

I had always known her to be full of air. A girl whose cockiness and ill temper lead to her downfall in our fights. But, Tayuya had grown stronger and she wasn't showing any signs of letting go. Her grip grew even tighter and within seconds, I was gasping for air, white spots appearing at the edge of my eyes.

"Tayuya!" It was Sakon, shouting at her, but Tayuya showed no signs of letting up and I knew I was running out of time. My hands felt up the ground beside me, my fingers frantically moving through the grass for something, anything to defend myself.

Hands seized Tayuya's shirt and just as they were pulling, I found a sharp rock and brought it up, swiping it across Tayuya's face. She screamed, her grip loosening as the hands forced her to her feet and I slid my body out from under her, kicking her right in the stomach, sending her and the hands that held her back.

I pulled out kunai and attached explosive tags to the ends of them before firing them at the Sound ninja. Without checking for contact, I jumped up just as the explosives went off, making the ground rumble and groan. I was making hand signs when I caught sight of something below. I squinted through the thick dust and saw it, Jirobō lifting a massive piece of Earth.

"You'll pay for that you witch!" Tayuya shouted.

"Miyuki, this is your last warning." Sakon said.

"If it makes you feel any better, Orochimaru extended an offer for you as well." Kidōmaru said.

I couldn't even see them behind the massive wall, just the dark glare in Jirobō's eyes as he regarded me.

"I'm not going back to him!" I yelled, before pulling a scroll from my weapons pouch and ripping the side open.

"Suit yourself." Jirobō said before he swung the massive piece of earth at me. It was coming in quickly and I barely had time to dodge it as it knocked into the tree I was standing in. I lost my footing somewhere in the middle of it all and Jirobō appeared just in time to try and land a hit. I blocked him with my arm, but he kept on and I struggled to keep up with him and not flinch. He was putting a lot of chakra into his moves and if I didn't build up the same in my arms, I was sure I would've had a few broken bones.

"I don't think you thought this through, Miyuki."

I shivered and the closeness of the voice was what threw me off. I looked to the side and saw him, Ukon smiling over at me, his head popping out from my shoulder. I could also feel him taking control of my body as well and gasped when my left hand shot up, wrapping around my throat when Tayuya appeared and head butted me. I went slamming to the ground and was gasping and coughing as Ukon chuckled beside me.

"So pathetic." Tayuya said.

"I think her emotions are getting the better of her." Sakon said, rubbing his head.

"Had enough yet?" Kidōmaru asked.

I felt my hand slide away from my throat, but then I felt the waves upon waves of exhaustion beginning to eat away at my muscles. Then I saw why. Jirobō's palms were planted firmly on the ground and I could sense the chakra in the mud pile I was lying in, feel my own chakra seeping out and mixing in with the outlining one. He was draining me.

"Go…to…Hell." I breathed.

"Not very nice, Miyuki." Ukon said, caning his neck around on Sakon's back so that he could get a better look at me.

"After all this time." Sakon said dryly. "We don't even get a hello from this piece of trash."

"Once a piece of trash, always a piece of trash." Tayuya growled before jumping into the mud beside me. I glared up at her and she glared right down at me.

"This was such a disappointment." Kidōmaru grumbled.

"Let's hope Uchiha makes a better snack." Jirobō said.

I looked at him. "N-no!"

"Shut up." Tayuya growled, pulling a fist back before bringing it down along the side of my face. My head spun, stinging all over before the darkness took over and I was out for the count.


	39. Chapter 39: Farewell!

**Chapter 39: Farewell**

I woke with a start, my heart in my throat and a sharp retort for Tayuya on my lips. Except, the moment my eyes settled and blinked past the blinding white light, I found myself in a hospital room, with the sharp smell of disinfectant filling the air. I felt a little sick to my stomach, my anxiety lowering but leaving behind a nauseas feeling until I felt it coming up. I gagged just as someone pushed a bucket in front of me just in time.

I heaved into the bucket, my body trembling as I gripped the sides. A hand came down and smoothed my hair away from my face, pulling the stray strands behind my ear before moving away.

Slowly and shakily, I followed the hand as it pulled back to its body and felt my body stiffen when I saw Sasuke staring at me. He looked the same as always except this time any trace of the darkness he had had earlier was gone. His jaw was even softer, but I could tell that his teeth were still clenched.

"Sas-Sasuke." I breathed before coughing. He handed me a tissue to wipe my mouth and I took it from him, dabbing at my mouth while he pulled the bucket away, not even grimacing at the contents like I would have.

He said nothing in response, merely placed the bucket on the floor before folding his hands and looking back at me. I could smell it then, a gentle waft of apples. I looked down at the wrinkled sheets gathered around my waist and remembered as I had jolted up the smell of him in the air, slight but still there. I glanced at the floor and remembered him knocking the apples out of Sakura's hand and my hands balled into tight fists with the memory alone.

"What's wrong?" His voice was firm and I looked at him.

"What's wrong with you?" I countered.

He stared at me and I saw something in his eyes shift before he let out an exasperated sigh. He pushed himself up to his feet before walking around the bed to the window in the corner.

"What did Kakashi talk to you about when I left?" I asked.

"Where did you go after you left?" He countered.

I remembered Tayuya and the others ganging up on me in the training grounds and my pitiful defeat in the end. They had wanted to deliver a message to Sasuke, to remind him that Orochimaru's offer still stood.

"I was…training." I managed with after a slight hesitation.

His eyes cut over to mine and I knew instantly that he wasn't impressed.

"Training?" He repeated, as if he didn't know the meaning of the world.

I managed a nod, maybe a little too quickly, but hid my face with my hair, letting it cascade over my shoulders. I didn't want to see his reaction to my confirmation because the previous one still burned in my head. Also, I was sure my own face would betray me.

 _"_ _If it makes you feel any better, Orochimaru extended an offer for you as well."_ Kidōmaru had said. I shivered at the thought of ever going back into that his clutches but then again…what if Sasuke decided to go?

He eased down into the seat beside the bed again and I glanced over at him, peeking out through my sheet of hair.

"You looked like you had gotten into a fight." Sasuke said, his voice low and dripping with disbelief.

I pressed my lips into a tight line. It had been more than just a fight. It had been payback and the Sound Four had been right when they had said my emotions had gotten the better of me. I had been blinded by my need to protect him, to defend Sasuke at all costs and look where it had gotten me. It had been careless, stupid and I could only imagine sensei's expression if she looked at me now.

"Who found me?" I asked.

"I did." Sasuke said.

"And you took me straight here?"

"Your injuries were bad but it was more fatigue than anything else." Sasuke said. "Somewhere else you want to be?"

"N-no." I said, shaking my head. I reached up and pulled my hair behind my ear again before sniffing. I needed to collect myself before I faced him but that wasn't stopping him from standing up and sitting right in front of me, right at the edge of the bed. He reached over a moment later and tilted my head up.

It was so tender and sweet and I was reminded of our last kiss, the one he had given me before he had left on his latest mission. But, then I remembered how cruel he had been to me, how he had pushed me away and how angry he had been with Naruto. I remembered how that Sasuke had been scary and imposing, capable of so much bad, so incapable of being gentle.

I pulled away and turned my gaze out toward the window where I could see the early evening stars beginning to twinkle. It wasn't exactly late in Konoha, but it was getting there. I imagined dinners wrapping up, families gathering in front of their TV's. I wondered briefly about Naruto and Sakura and then wondered how the boys were holding up. I thought about sensei and imagined she would be holed up somewhere by Kakashi's side.

"I'm sorry." Sasuke said.

My eyes widened and I slowly brought myself back to look at him. It was the second time he had uttered such words, the first being back during our mission together, after we had gotten separated from the others and joined forces with the Rain ninja. I could only blink at him because for the first time ever, it really looked like he meant it.

"You were right earlier…when you said that I was pushing you away." Sasuke said.

I tried not to gawk knowing that whatever progress he was making would only set him back. But my hands trembled slightly and just as I was about to slide them under the sheets, he caught them in his hands and I froze.

"I want to…I want to tell you everything but…it's not easy." He looked up at me and met my eyes, which only made a shiver run up and down my spine in response and suddenly there I was, gawking. This was what a sincere Sasuke looked like, his eyes bursting with apology, his voice dripping with slight concern. I had never been sure that he could show it and there it was, a whole new Sasuke right in front of me and this one wasn't scary or nerving. This was the one that had held me the night before he left, this was the one that kissed me and this was the one who had laid beside me, teased me even before Megumi-sensei had appeared.

I didn't want to go easy on him but a part of me realized how truly difficult this must have been for him. Spending all his years closed off to the world, only giving a smirk here or there, never really laughing or smiling, or even caring about those around him and here we were.

"Sasuke…" I managed but the rest of my voice got lost in my throat. His grip on my hands tightened in response.

"I thought about it…" He began and if I didn't know any better, he looked a little nervous as his eyes flitted over my face before diving down to our hands.

"I realized…I realized…that I want you too." He said, his voice low as he reached the last part. My cheeks flushed.

"You're…important to me." Sasuke said. "After everything…no matter what…it always comes back to you."

I pulled one of my hands away from his grasp and was reaching up to try and cool my suddenly overheated cheeks as his words sunk in, making my skin feel electric. He had admitted it hadn't he? I was important? I was what he wanted? _Me_? He had said it and I knew that I should've been jumping up and down in response. But, all his words really did was make my stomach tighten.

"Sasuke…" I managed again, except this time, one of his hands came up and caught me at the back of my neck. He pulled me forward as I held my breath before our foreheads touched. His dark eyes bore into mine and they didn't help the nerves bubbling and bursting in my stomach. I couldn't explain the strange feeling coming over me but I knew what I should have been feeling instead. _Happiness_. It was what I had wanted all along except now, I was afraid of it. Something was off. Something was being forgotten but he was so close…too close for me to even fathom thoughts.

He leaned closer, his scent invading my senses, making my lips quiver, making my insides tremble in preparation. I could feel his breaths brushing over my lips and the closer he drew the more restraint it took on my part to keep myself controlled. He was being slow and measured and those dark eyes were studying me, trying to gauge my desires.

He pressed a gentle kiss against my lips and I felt my whole body reel from the contact. It was electric, enough to make me crazy, enough to make me want to jump into his arms and wrap myself around him. I placed a hand on his chest and though a part of me had said to push him away, that this wasn't right, that this shouldn't be, instead gripped his shirt and pulled him even closer.

My body protested, my muscles stretching in agony, but I couldn't deny that I wanted more of him. He granted my wish, leaning closer, one of his hands snaking around my waist. I gasped and he deepened the kiss and together we fell back, him hovering over me and me underneath him. I was still gripping his shirt as if for dear life, my heart slamming so loudly in my chest that I could hear it echoing in my ears.

"Mmm…wait." I managed, breaking away from our kiss and turning my head so that he couldn't trap me again. I could feel his breaths coming down on my cheeks and hated how it completely destroyed my resolve. I wanted to be able to resist him but all I wanted to do was turn back and finish what we had started.

"What is it?" He asked, his voice surprisingly gentle.

I looked up at him and tried to study his dark eyes. I searched for something, anything that would calm the nervousness that felt like it was turning my insides out. But, his expression was blank, his eyes as firm as they had always been and then there were his fingers drawing small circles on my skin just under my shirt. I couldn't even begin to remember when his hand had gotten there, but it felt nice, the delicate movement.

"Miyuki." He breathed, my name sounding breathless as it left his lips.

I placed my hands on either side of his face and secured him there. "I just…I just…it just…I want to know that this is real."

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"You're…serious?"

"Miyuki…" He said as he slid one of his hands up along the side of my head before he slid it under. He bent his arm and suddenly I could feel his arm just at the back of my neck, feel his fingers rustling through my hair in the gentlest of fashions. I almost lost my breath and mind right then and there.

"What happened?" I asked. "On that mission?"

He stared down at me and I saw a flash of irritation crossing his brow, anger flaring in his eyes. His jaw tightened with the memory but at least one thing was proven on my end. It was all genuine emotions and I saw the change they all played on his face. Whatever he had been feeling before, it had been real but why did it still feel so strange to me?

"I lost." He said.

"To Naruto?" I asked, my voice small.

He glared, not at me, but at the spot beside my head on the pillow.

"It doesn't matter." He said, his voice low and before I could say anything more, he looked back at me, his glare softening. I opened my mouth to say something more and he lowered his head, silencing me with another kiss.

He didn't want to talk about it, that's what it was. He just wanted to forget it. It was only fair and I would have been stupid to want otherwise for him. The past was in the past and there was no changing it. I didn't want to worry about the Sound Four either especially with a confession like he had given me. I was important to him. I was important to Sasuke Uchiha and to me it meant that no amount of Orochimaru's distant control could change it.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer, feeling his body mold against mine. My fingers tangled in his hair while he grabbed a fistful of mine. It felt right, perfect almost but there was still that knot in the pit of my stomach, the one that screamed something wasn't right, that something was wrong. Was his kiss too strong? Too possessive? Had he blown off my questions too rudely? What had his expression really held?

I wanted to stop thinking about it. I told myself that I was reading too much into everything. Everything would be fine and there was no use worrying about anything tonight. There was time for worry in the morning but for now, all I wanted to think about was how perfect the moment was and I how I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

…

I opened my eyes slowly and was instantly blinded by the strong moonlight drifting through the open window. With it came a small draft that was enough to make me shiver and pull the blankets closer to my chin. I thought about getting up to pull the curtains back or even better to shut the window completely, but then I remembered the feeling of Sasuke just behind me, his arms wrapped around my waist as he held my close.

It made my cheeks redden and I slowly rolled around, trying my best not to wake him. But when I turned around, he wasn't there. I blinked at the empty spot beside me for a moment, my eyes widening in my skull until I sat up in our small bed, peeking over the side in case somehow, someway he had found other sleeping accommodations. But, all I could see below was the floor and my clothes littering the foot of the bed. I ran my hand over the spot he had claimed and found that it was cold. There was no sign of him in the room, no trace.

He hadn't gone to use the bathroom. He hadn't gone to get something to eat. He had left and who when he was coming back, that is if he ever came back at all. I shook the thought out of my head, trying even to shake the tears from forming in my eyes. My chest felt tight as I threw the blankets off my body and scrambled for my clothes. I pulled them on quickly, not even glancing in the mirror as I made my way to the door. Where had he gone?

He wouldn't have gone home because the hospital hadn't cleared him yet. He wouldn't have gone to apologize to Naruto for his actions because he hadbarely apologized to me. Kakashi's? For what to talk some more? That didn't sound right either. My heart was slamming in my chest as I pushed open the hospital doors and stood on the front steps, feeling the cool night air lick at my cheeks. If he was in none of those places, where else could he have gone?

I thought back to his kiss, to the feeling that had had my stomach in tightly wound knots. It hadn't felt right, none of it had but I had allowed myself to get swooped up in the moment. I had ignored my suspicions and I had fallen asleep, completely knocked out when I should have trusted my gut. I reached up and smoothed my fingers over the cursed mark on my neck. It burned under my touch but it wasn't because Orochimaru was near. It was because as soon as I touched it, I was reminded of my crushing defeat and of all the bad things Orochimaru had done to me as a child.

The Sound Four standing above me, taunting me not just back then but earlier. Their offer, Orochimaru's offer to Sasuke…and to me. I remembered the brutal trainings and tests. I remembered the agonizing fights, unapologetic and bloody. I remembered the darkness but I remembered the voices more. The screaming, the crying, and my own bitter laughter lifting above it all. The sick, cruel laugh. I shivered again.

There was no way they had spoken to him. When had they done it? While I was sleeping? I would have woken if that was the case. I couldn't remember and the longer I tried to search my brain for answers, the more frustrated I became. There was only one answer, only one way of knowing for sure. I thought about the many roads around Konoha and remembered there was only one, just one that lead outside of the village.

I didn't give it another thought though I prayed with everything I had as I set out that it wasn't so. I raced to the gates, running through the streets as tears filled my eyes and made my vision blurry. I held my breath, my heartbeat echoing in my ears as I ran even harder. I rounded the bend that lead to the security desk by the main gates and found that while it had taken my breath away when we had first arrived in Konoha, it was just as dazzling at night. The trees hung low, their leaves swaying in the passing breeze. I stopped in my tracks when I noticed someone lying on a bench and my eyes widened as I looked at an unconscious Sakura. I took tentative steps toward her and got close enough to see the glistening tears in the corners of her eyes.

"Sakura." I breathed. Her tears were still fresh and her breathing wasn't labored, just slow. She was knocked out for good but whoever had done it to her, judging by the freshness of her tears, meant that they weren't far.

I started running again and I ran right outside the village gates, running into the forest with everything I had. I was running so quickly, so desperately, that I didn't see where I was going and a few yards in, I tripped over a root and ended up on the floor, nearly falling on my face. It was there, dust rising up from the ground, my eyes burning and my breaths heavy, that I lost it and realized.

Gone. _Gone_. He was…he was…gone. My tears slid down my cheeks and my body trembled as I struggled to find my voice and struggled to find some ounce of calmness in my body. I didn't want to believe it because he wouldn't do that to me, he wouldn't just leave and not say anything. Not after everything, not after what he said, and not after how far we had come. But he had and where did that leave me? What about what it all did to me? Didn't I mater too?

"Are you hurt?"

I jumped at the voice and pushed myself up immediately. Standing just a few feet away from me was Sasuke. He was dressed in his regular street clothes, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his white shorts.

My heart nearly burst out of my chest and I was pushing myself to my feet while I tried to contain my happiness.

"Sasuke!" I said, smiling through my tears until I really looked at him and saw that he wasn't just out for a midnight stroll. He had a backpack slung over his shoulders.

"Wh-what are you-where are you going?" I asked before hugging myself. "With that…with that backpack?"

"You should go back to bed." He said. His voice was cold and impatient and it sounded as if nothing between us had changed at all. As if the words that we had exchanged before everything hadn't been said at all. But they still echoed in my ears and my cheeks burned with the emotion that I had felt burning within them.

"Where are you going?" I asked, my voice cracking near the end.

He blinked at me, his eyes void of all emotion, but I as used to it. He wanted to come off unimpressed, disinterested but there was no getting around that this time. I wasn't going to let him leave. I had vowed that over everything right from the beginning. I had wanted him to accomplish his dreams and in a lot of ways I still wanted that but I also knew that Orochimaru wasn't the answer.

"Miyuki." Sasuke said, his voice even.

I shook my head. "You're not getting out of this one so you better tell me."

"Why are you asking if you already know the answer?" He asked.

"Because it isn't an answer! You think it is but it isn't! You don't know…you don't know what it's like…you don't know!"

"Miyuki."

"You don't need it! You don't even want it! He's a bad man, Sasuke! He can't help you and he won't! He's a liar and all he's going to do is _use_ you! You're better than that!"

"Miyuki."

"You are strong. You don't need him to help you. I'll help you. Kakashi will help you. You have so many people behind you, so many people who just want what's best for you and how can you leave them? What about us? What about what you said to me? I thought I was important to you. What about me? What about—"

He was in front of me before I could finish my sentence and as my words got clogged in my throat, I also forgot how to breathe and was stuck somewhere between inhaling and exhaling. A sharp pain shot across my chest as a result.

"Then come with me." He breathed and my eyes widened in response.

I thought back to all my good memories. I remembered his kind smile, his gentle words, and his encouragement. I remembered the burning desire to stay by his side, to protect him, to prove that I was a woman that stood by her word. I had believed in him, I had followed Orochimaru and I had never questioned him. I remembered that most of my memories felt good and the only bad were the nightmares. The only problem was that the latter felt just as real, if not even more so. I thought about Karin and her burning hatred, not just for me, but for him. I thought about him disposing her, casting her out as if she was nothing.

I thought about the boys and remembered the fear shining in their eyes in our orphanage. I remembered being isolated and I remembered Megumi-sensei's kindness. I remembered how kind she had been to me and how genuine her emotions were. It was with her help that the others kids had grown to stand me and now the boys never left my side. It was because of her that I was living a somewhat normal life, that I had found myself behind all the darkness.

"Sasuke…" I managed and averted my eyes. Leave with him? Go back to Orochimaru? It wouldn't be good me going back. He would make me pay somehow for getting away the first time. He would make me pay for trying to fight him, for not coming back sooner. There was no guarantee of course. For all I knew, I was just being paranoid but whatever offer he made, it wasn't out of the kindness of his own heart. There was always a catch.

"I…I can't." I said finally, my shoulders slumping, my brow furrowing. It pained me to admit it, but I would never go back. I could never face Orochimaru again and I knew that if I ever did, I would fight him with everything I had. It had taken me years to get over what he had done to me, years to see past the façade and now…now I was sure that I hated him.

Sasuke was silent for a few moments and nothing but the air whistled between us, rustling through our hair. I took a shaky breath a few moments later and lifted my head so that I could meet his eyes. If he was disappointed, he didn't show it. He seemed unaffected by my decision.

"Then go home." Sasuke said.

"Sasuke." I reached for him and he disappeared. I blinked out into the vast road before me, blinking at the empty spot until I felt him standing just behind me.

"Don't." I said, my hands balling into tight fists at my sides.

"Don't what?" He asked.

"Don't do what you did you to Sakura…to me." I said.

He was quiet for a moment and I heard his feet moving around me. He moved right back in front of me and I stared up at him, struggling to blink past my tears.

"She threatened to scream." Sasuke said.

"I should too but it wouldn't change anything." I said.

"It didn't matter to her either." Sasuke said.

"W-why?" I asked, my voice cracking again. "Why are you doing this?"

Sasuke reached up and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Because I'm not like them." Sasuke said. "And I'm not like you."

He leaned close then, his lips just on the outside of my ear. His lips moved fast, his breathed washing lightly across my neck and down my back. My body trembled, my insides quaked, and when I blinked, he was gone.


	40. Chapter 40: Naruto's Promise!

**Chapter 40: Naruto's Promise! I'll Get Stronger No Matter What!**

"Hey."

I swung around to face the voice that had shattered through my thoughts and found sensei beside me. She was giving me a small, kind smile but I knew that there was nothing to smile about.

"How's Naruto?" I asked.

Megumi-sensei looked out at the scene surrounding us. I had been holed up in the apartment we had rented and had been up on the roof for the whole morning, watching the birds fly by while listening to the bustling streets below. I had been alone with my thoughts which was the last thing I had wanted but being surrounded by everyone else especially after they had sent a squad out after Sasuke was the last thing I wanted.

"He's hurt pretty bad." Sensei said and folded her arms across her chest. "But the Nine-Tails heals quickly. He'll be fine in a few days, probably up and moving around in a few hours."

"And the others?" I asked. If I remembered correctly the squad had consisted of Kiba and Akamaru, Shikamaru, Neji, Naruto and Choji. I had been sure that Sasuke hadn't gone off alone and had learned from Sakura a few days after the boys had left that the Sound Four had been with him.

"A little worse for wear too but nobody got it as bad as Naruto. Lee and the Sand Genin arrived just in time to save them but Kakashi was too late for Naruto."

I nodded and averted my eyes. I had suspected as much as well. "Who did Naruto…how did he get so hurt?"

"He fought Sasuke." Megumi-sensei said and I looked up at her, my eyes a little wide.

"Oh."

Sensei nodded and took a deep breath. "But they'll be fine…as for Sasuke…to hurt Naruto that way, his own comrade."

I looked away. "There's a word for that."

"Scum." Megumi-sensei said. "Those who brush aside their comrades are nothing more and nothing less than scum, at least that's what Kakashi called it."

"He's a rogue ninja now." I swallowed.

"Yes."

"Are they going to go after him again?" I asked.

Sensei shrugged. "I'm sure they'll never stop looking but…for now…there's too much going on to focus on Sasuke."

I nodded slowly, telling myself I understood but at the same time knowing deep down inside that I didn't. I hugged my knees to my chest.

"Do you think he'll ever come back?" I asked suddenly.

Sensei didn't answer right away and when I glanced up at her, I saw that she was wearing her usual impassive expression, her eyes distant. She was thinking about her answer, turning it over carefully in her mind.

"I don't know."

"Do you think he's sorry?"

"Do you?" She challenged and I pressed my lips together.

"I don't know."

Silence passed between us for a few breezes. Megumi-sensei shifted in her seat beside me and then leaned back, her hands planting firmly on the cement roof as she tilted her head back toward the sun.

"He's not White Fang." Megumi-sensei sighed.

"What?" I asked.

"Kakashi…he's not called White Fang."

"Wha-what are you? What?" I looked back at her.

"The Leaf and our village weren't supposed to me alliances in anything. Akane saved a lot of her money to hire the Leaf to protect us back then, to protect _me_." She closed her eyes. "We didn't get along at first and we met each other when we were around your age, maybe a little younger."

"But he didn't earn that name when he was a kid, he earned when he was in ANBU and when he saved not just me but the entire village from burning to the ground. It was the kidnapping that turned out to be an ambush and throughout it all right up until the last few hours spent between us, I was a miserable little brat to him. I thought that we were going to die back then, on that day for sure. I don't think I've ever been more scared in my entire life of death."

"Sensei…" I said and her eyes opened. She glanced down at me.

"But he told me to suck it up. He told me that he wouldn't let me die. He wouldn't let me die the same way everyone else had."

"And we survived and his last words to me were: 'See? We made it. Now don't go off being impossible'." She laughed lightly. "Our villagers were simple then and as he left, they asked him what they could call him, girls swooning over this hero of mine. He looked at all of them, this man who was beaten up from the journey, whose muscles ached from having to carry me all of the way back, who looked about ready to drop. He looked at all of them and smiled and he told us to call him White Fang."

"But that wasn't his name?" I asked.

"No." Sensei said. "That was his father's nickname."

"Why did he take it?"

"Our version of Kakashi's White Fang persona, over time has become a legend to everyone. No one knows what he looks like, just the elders and even their memories are foggy. No one can know what he did, just a select few and our ties to the Leaf must remain invisible. They destroyed a powerful threat for us, for this entire world, and all he has to remember it by is that nickname. It was a homage to his late father and the only one who knew the truth was me."

"What happened to his father?"

"Suicide." Sensei said. "He was a good man."

"Did you meet him?"

"No…he died when Kakashi was young."

"But he told you about him?"

"Of course."

"But what happened after that? What happened after that mission after he saved the village?"

"We didn't see each other until that time on Tazuna's bridge." Sensei explained.

"But he thought you were dead."

"Like I said I was a brat. That's not a secret in our village, it's just a fact." She said with a shrug. "Even though I showed him reason to believe that one day I wouldn't be, it wasn't enough. I had changed, he…he had changed me but he wasn't a miracle worker."

"He thought I would get myself in trouble again and in a lot of ways I did but I never forgot him, never forgot what he told me and I never forgot all he had done for me."

I nodded. "So now you're back in each other's lives."

"And we're not letting each other go."

I smiled. "So you don't really hate each other?"

She laughed lightly and smoothed a hand through her hair. "I could never hate him." She looked down at me before reaching over and pulling me against her. She turned her head to the side, resting the side of her face on the top of my head and I closed my eyes, relaxing into her embrace.

"You'll be fine, kid." Sensei said after a few moments. "I know it hurts…I know what that feels like. It took me a while to realize my feelings, took me a while to mull over words long exchanged. It sucked, the pain, the memories, the mistakes and everything feels like a mistake. But you'll be fine and that's the only thing that matters. You can't control Sasuke but you can wish the best for him and you can hope that when your paths meet again, he'll know the same."

"And he'll come back." I said.

"Yes." Sensei said. "And he'll come back."

…

"Miyuki!" Naruto ran up to me, his hands gripping his backpack.

A few months had come and gone between the Sasuke rescue mission and a few missions had come and gone just as quickly. Sensei was still looking after Kakashi sensei and we had arrived in Konoha just a few days before I heard from Sakura that Naruto was leaving for two years to train with Jiraiya.

"Naruto!" I smiled, turning to face him.

"What are you doing here? Here to see me off?" Naruto grinned.

I smiled at him. He really had recovered and from what I heard of his latest mission, he had been a real star. It had been a joint mission with the Sand and while Gaara was rumored to be the biggest star, Naruto was of course the drive behind it.

"I heard you were leaving." I smiled. "Going off to get stronger?"

"Yup!" Naruto said. "Pervy Sage is finally starting to treat me seriously."

I smiled. "That's good."

"How have you been, anyway? What are you doing here? Are Kyoske and Hideki here too?"

I shook my head. "I'm with sensei. She just came to visit Kakashi."

Naruto nodded and then scratched the back of his head. "We never found out what was wrong with those two."

"Yeah, I guess we didn't." I laughed. "But Naruto, how long are you going to be gone?"

"Two years." Naruto grinned.

I nodded. "Sounds good. Make sure you take care of yourself, okay?"

He nodded. "Of course."

"And Jiraiya too." I said.

"Sure will."

"Oh Miyuki." Jiraiya greeted. He was standing beside Naruto, smiling down at me. I hadn't seen him much since our sit down a few months ago and while his words still haunted me, I knew that he had cleared a lot of things up for me. I smiled up at him.

"She says I have to take care of you, old man."

Jiraiya chuckled. "If you can manage to take care of yourself that'll be a feat."

"Oh hey Miyuki." Naruto said.

"Yeah?" I asked.

He extended a fist and I stared down at it, confused.

"I'm gonna bring him home." Naruto said. "Believe it."

I blinked at him and as much as a part of me wanted to burst into tears right then and there, I sniffed and extended a fist. We fist bumped but I quickly realized that it wasn't enough. I hugged him right after, and the force of it made him stumble slightly but he caught himself.

"I believe it." I smiled. "Now go out there and do your best."

I pulled away a moment later only to find Naruto grinning.

"Will do, Miyuki! You take care of yourself too, you heard?"

"Let's get going, kid." Jiraiya said and started moving out of the village gates.

Naruto nodded and smiled at me.

"I will." I said and shot him a smile before he turned and walked off after Jiraiya. I stared after them, waiting until they dipped down the hill in the distance, until it blended in with the blazing sun shining above, casting a shiny glow onto the Hokage faces and I couldn't make out Naruto's jumpsuit anymore.

"Is he gone?"

I looked and saw Sakura jogging to my side.

"Sakura, hey. You just missed him."

Sakura nodded and I noted the disappointment in her face. "I was fighting with Ino and lost track of time."

"It's alright. I'm sure he knows you're wishing him well."

Sakura nodded.

"I heard you're training under Tsunade now?" I asked.

"Yeah." Sakura said with a nod. "She told me that she's gonna turn up my own training because Jiraiya and her made a bet over which student will do better or something like that."

I laughed, remembering Tsunade and her gambling habits. She would make a bet like that.

"Either way, I have to get stronger." Sakura said. "I can't have them leaving me behind anymore, you know?"

I looked at her and nodded.

"I'm gonna get stronger just like Naruto." Sakura smiled.

"He said he's going to bring Sasuke back." I said.

Sakura hesitated before she nodded. "And he will. I know he will."

I nodded myself and together we looked out at the world beyond the gates, our hands balled into tight fists, hers at her sides, and mine behind my back.

Two years. If everyone else was going to get stronger, kicking up my own training seemed to be the next best thing. I had been slacking and now it was time to kick it into high gear. After all, I wasn't going to let Naruto and Sakura bring Sasuke back alone. They were going to need all the help they could get if they were gonna go up against Orochimaru and I planned on being right beside them when they did.


	41. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Thanks for all the support and comments for this story! I love that a few of you guys were hooked and stayed through till the end! But, I'm happy to announce that Miyuki's journey isn't over just yet! The OFFICIAL prologue for Miyuki Gaiden has been posted and I hope you guys enjoy it just as much as this one!

s/12157884/1/Miyuki-Gaiden-The-Sword-of-Kusanagi

Don't forget to review/subscribe!

Ciao:)


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